What are Vascular Malformations

By Cristiano Antonino Last updated Nov 13, 2022

Vascular malformations are difficult to classify. This term refers to a congenital pathology that often manifests itself within a few days of birth and includes an infinite series of diseases, some of which are trivial (such as flat angiomas, known as ‘birthmarks’) and of an exclusively aesthetic nature

Other times they are very complex and serious pathologies, whose treatment involves various specialists (interventional radiologist, orthopaedist, vascular surgeon, dermatologist, paediatrician).

Vascular malformations are caused by genetic errors leading to abnormal development of vascular tissue and are divided according to the affected district into

arterial;
venous;
lymphatic;
capillary;
mixed.

Some are so rare as to represent unique cases.

Clinical diagnosis is generally easy and an angiologist may be sufficient to make an initial diagnosis.

The examinations most frequently required for an accurate diagnosis range from simple ultrasound, to MRI, to angiography and other specific tests.

Consequently, the therapy is also complex (embolisation, surgery, pharmacological medical therapy), so that it is not possible to generalise.

The advice is to turn to centres that deal with these pathologies, which are generally unique for each country, and are therefore at the diagnostic and therapeutic cutting edge, based on their experience.

Since these centres must necessarily have several specialists, they are generally located in large hospitals, where all similar cases are referred.