title: Clinical and morphological characteristics of head-facial haemangiomas.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Haemangiomas of the head or face are a frequent vascular pathology, consisting in an embryonic dysplasia that involves the cranial-facial vascular network. Haemangiomas show clinical, morphological, developmental and structural changes during their course.
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinical characteristics of head-facial haemagiomas were studied in 28 individuals (9 males and 19 females) admitted in our Hospital. Sixteen of these patients(n = 16) underwent surgery for the removal of the haemangiomas. All the removed tissues were transferred in experimental laboratories for the staining of microanatomical details, somatic and visceral nerve fibres, adrenergic and catecholaminergic nerve fibres. Beta-adrenergic receptors were died with a fluorescent method. All results were submitted to the quantitative analysis of images and statistical evaluation of the data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The morphological results revealed numerous micro-anatomical characteristics of the haemangiomatous vessels. The somatic and visceral nerve fibres were poor and located exclusively in the adventitial layer. There was a marked decrease of adrenergic nerve fibres in the haemangiomatous vessels. The fluorescence of catecholaminergic nerve fibres and the overall area of fluorescent structures were also decreased in haemangiomatous vessels. Beta adrenergic receptors are strongly decreased in haemangiomatous vessels. The morphometrical analysis of images and statistical evaluation of the data confirmed all our experimental results.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The catecholaminergic innervation of the human haemangiomatous vessels comprises nerve fibres containing the main catecholaminergic neurotransmitters that are sympathetic in nature. These neurotransmitters are closely related to beta-adrenergic receptors. The sympathetic nervous system plays a key role in the control of the vascular bed flow and vascular motility in both normal and haemangiomatous vessels.
authors.affiliation: Maxillo-Facial Surgery Unit, Medical Faculty, University La Sapienza Rome, Italy. giorgio.iannetti@uniromal.it
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Iannetti
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Torroni
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chiummariello
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cavallotti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005153:Facial Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006391:Hemangioma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome