title: Postcricoid vascular lesions: histopathological and immunohistochemical diagnosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Postcricoid vascular lesions are a rare cause of dysphagia and stridor in the pediatric population. Currently, there is no clear consensus on what type of vascular lesions are common in the postcricoid area because adequate histological or immunohistochemistry studies are lacking. This study aimed to describe the histology and immunohistochemistry of postcricoid masses in our institutions' experience, and consolidate available data on the symptoms, management, and histology of these unusual malformations with a comprehensive literature review.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective patient and literature review.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review of patients with postcricoid vascular lesions was performed at two pediatric tertiary care institutions. Histology and immunohistochemistry studies were performed in patients undergoing a lesion biopsy. A complete literature review of the English language was completed for cases involving vascular lesions of the postcricoid area.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four patients were identified in our study with postcricoid vascular lesions. All patients presented with symptoms of dysphagia and intermittent stridor. Histology and immunohistochemistry studies were performed in three patients. GLUT-1 was negative in all three patients, and CD34 was positive in all patients tested. Lewis Y antigen was performed in one patient and was negative. A description of 19 cases reported in the English literature is included.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with postcricoid vascular lesions usually present with mild to moderate feeding difficulties, and stridor or dyspnea with agitation. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry results suggest that postcricoid vascular lesions may often represent congenital vascular malformations instead of infantile hemangiomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Connecticut, Farmington, Connecticut, USA.
authors.forename: Corrie E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Roehm
authors.forename: Daniel C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Chelius
authors.forename: Deidre
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Larrier
authors.forename: M John
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Hicks
authors.forename: James T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Albright
authors.forename: Tulio A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Valdez
mesh_terms: D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000473:pathology; D003413:Cricoid Cartilage / Q000098:blood supply*; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006391:Hemangioma / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies