Understanding venous malformations of the head and neck: a comprehensive insight.
Venous malformations (VMs) are congenital vascular malformations. They are very often misnamed and thus incorrectly managed. The aim of the present paper is to provide the reader with the most updated literature available and to offer a detailed description of each single aspect of this disease. In detail, the paper discusses the epidemiology, the embryological origins and the physiopathology of VMs. Then, the clinical features of sporadic, inherited and syndromic VMs are discussed. The instrumental diagnosis is presented, and the role of US, CT, MRI and phlebography is pointed out. Differential diagnoses with other vascular malformations and tumors are described. The clinical session ends with the staging of VMs relying on MRI and rheological features. All aspects of treatment are described: conservative measures, medical treatment, sclerotherapy, laser and surgery are thoroughly discussed. A section is reserved to bony VMs. Their clinical aspects and the appropriate treatment are presented.
Department of Maxillo-Facial Surgery, San Paolo Hospital, University of Milan, Piazza della Repubblica 21, 20142, Milan, Italy. giacomo.colletti@gmail.com.
Giacomo
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6975-495X
G
Colletti
Interventional Radiology Unit, University of Milan, San Paolo Hospital, Milan, Italy.
Anna Maria
AM
Ierardi
D006257:Head / Q000098:blood supply*; D006801:Humans; D009333:Neck / Q000098:blood supply*; D054079:Vascular Malformations / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*
Angioma; Cavernous; Hemangioma; Sclerosant; Sclerotherapy; Vascular malformation; Venous malformation