Hemangiomas and vascular malformations: current theory and management

Haemangioma: A Review of the Literature and an Unusual Case Report

Haemangiomas are benign tumours growing by vascular endothelial hyperplasia, commonly occurring in females. The main types diagnosed in children are infantile haemangioma and congenital haemangioma, and these can also be found: in the liver, the gastrointestinal tract, intramuscularly, in vertebrae, intradurally, calvarially, and in the skull base. They can cause functional impairment, high output cardiac failure, and consumption coagulopathy, with current treatment options of corticosteroids, propranolol, embolisation, surgery, and laser treatment. Following a brief review of the literature, a rare case of a calvarial lesion is conveyed. A 57-year-old man presented with a right frontal parasagittal swelling and a computed tomography (CT) scan showed a lesion with a ‘honeycomb’ appearance. It was excised and the histopathological report received described the lesion as an intraosseous cavernous haemangioma.

Adult neck hemangiolymphangioma: a case and review of its etiology, diagnosis and management

Vascular anomalies constitute some of the most difficult diagnostic and therapeutic enigmas in the practice of medicine, ranging from an asymptomatic birthmark to life-threatening congestive heart failure. Hemangiolymphangiomas (HLA) are extremely rare vascular malformations of both lymphatic and blood vessels in which 80-90% are diagnosed during the first 2 years of life. Though rare, these vascular malformations have promising clinical outcomes. We report a case of a 28-year-old male who presented with a neck mass of unknown etiology. A computed axial tomography scan revealed a cystic mass, and subsequent aspiration biopsy showed lymphatic fluid. The mass was surgically excised and identified as a 6 × 6 × 3 cm³ multilocular cystic mass weighing 81 g. Histopathology showed cellular characteristics consistent with HLA. We review the salient clinical and pathophysiologic features of vascular anomalies.

Percutaneous Image-Guided Cryoablation in Vascular Anomalies

Understanding and management of vascular anomalies has always been intriguing. These disorders exhibit an expected pattern of clinical presentation and progression, and characteristic imaging findings. Significant progress in understanding and treating patients with vascular anomalies has been made in the past quarter century. Newer multidisciplinary domains for treating these disorders with medical drugs and less invasive image-guided or surgical procedures are constantly evolving. Vascular anomalies can exhibit aggressive tumor-like behavior resulting in recurrence or persistent symptoms after treatment. Thermal ablation has been widely used in tumor treatment. This has generated interest on using thermal ablation for treating vascular anomalies. Percutaneous image-guided cryoablation is increasingly used for this purpose as compared with other ablation technologies. Availability of small caliber cryoprobes and the ability to monitor the freeze zone in real time have made this an attractive option to interventional radiologists. These experiences are relatively new and limited. It is helpful to understand the emerging role of this technology in the treatment of vascular anomalies.

Sudden death in a child caused by a giant cavernous hemangioma of the anterior mediastinum

A 4-year-old girl who had been treated for asthma since the age of 2 years had a severe coughing fit and died suddenly. The patient had a history of occasional severe coughing fits, and these fits had been worsening in severity during the week before her death. Prior to death, she was taken to a clinician, and thymic hypertrophy was suspected based on chest X-ray findings. The clinician recommended that she visit a general hospital at a later date; however, she died that night. Postmortem radiology and autopsy revealed a large mass in the anterior mediastinum compressing the heart and airway, and no other findings attributable to sudden death were observed. Therefore, we concluded that the patient's death was attributable to acute respiratory and cardiac circulatory failure secondary to the pressure induced by the mass. Microscopically, the mass showed a cavernous structure composed of cystically dilated, thin-walled large vessels filled with blood. The final diagnosis was a cavernous hemangioma. Hemangiomas are the most common benign vascular anomalies seen in young children; however, mediastinal hemangiomas are rare and can cause life-threatening complications because of their size and location. Therefore, forensic pathologists should include hemangioma as a differential diagnosis in children with anterior mediastinal masses.

Unusual Case of Acquired Capillary Hemangioma of the Eyelid in an Adult

Acquired capillary hemangioma of the eyelid is very uncommon in adults. To our knowledge, only eight such cases have been reported in the literature till date. We report the case of a 25-year-old female with acquired capillary hemangioma of the left lower eyelid treated by cutting diathermy followed by reconstruction of the cutaneous and cartilaginous defect. This patient had a history of a similar lesion in the left malar region treated 5 years back. This case is being presented to highlight the occurrence of such lesions in an adult and to discuss the dilemmas in the diagnosis and management.

The expression of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone axis components in infantile hemangioma tissue and the impact of propranolol treatment

BackgroundPropranolol's mechanism of action for controlling infantile hemangioma (IH) remains unclear. We hypothesize that this nonselective beta antagonist downregulates renin-angiotensin-aldosterone (RAA) axis components, preventing angiogenic substrate induction of IH.MethodsIH tissue and serum were collected from children with propranolol-treated or -untreated IH during surgery. Normal skin and serum from demographically matched children were used as controls. Real-time PCR and western blot quantified RAA components in proliferative (n=10), involuting (n=10), propranolol-treated (n=12) IH, and normal specimens (n=11). Serum was analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).ResultsThere were significantly greater messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of angiotensinogen (AGT) in proliferating IH, but not in involuting or treated IH, when compared with controls (P<0.05). Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and angiotensin II receptor 1 (AGTR1) mRNA expression was higher in all IH specimens when comparedwith controls (P<0.05). ACE and AGTR1 protein expression was greater in proliferating IH tissue compared with that in controls and in involuting and treated IH tissue (P<0.05). ELISA showed no significant difference in ACE serum levels but did show a significant reduction in renin in involuting compared with proliferating IH (P<0.05).ConclusionsThe protein and mRNA expression of several RAA pathway constituents is elevated in IH tissue when compared with that in normal tissue. The action of propranolol on IH may be the result of reductions in ACE and AGTR1.

Expression of β-Adrenergic Receptor Subtypes in Proliferative, Involuted, and Propranolol-Responsive Infantile Hemangiomas

Importance

Propranolol hydrochloride has become the primary medical treatment for problematic infantile hemangioma; however, the expression of propranolol's target receptors during growth, involution, and treatment of hemangioma remains unclear.

Objective

To measure and compare the expression of β1-, β2-, and β3-adrenergic receptors (ADBR1, ADBR2, and ADBR3, respectively) in proliferative (n = 10), involuted (n = 11), and propranolol-responsive (n = 12) hemangioma tissue.

Design, Setting, and Participants

Infantile hemangioma specimens were harvested for molecular investigation. Messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of the ADBR1, ADBR2, and ADBR3 genes was detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Protein level expression was measured by Western blot and standardized with densitometry. A total of 33 specimens were collected from patients in a tertiary pediatric hospital who underwent excision of problematic hemangiomas. This study was conducted from January 18, 2011, to September 24, 2013, and data analysis was performed from February 25, 2015, to June 25, 2016.

Results

Of the 33 patients included, 21 were female (64%). The mean (SD) patient age at the time of excision was 7 (2.5) months for the proliferative group lesions, 23.5 (10) months for the involuted group, and 16 (10) months for the propranolol group. The mean level of ADBR1 mRNA expression was significantly higher in proliferative hemangioma than in propranolol-responsive hemangioma (1.05 [0.56] vs 0.52 [0.36]; P = .01; 95% CI, 0.12-0.94). There was no difference in ADBR2 expression among the groups. Protein expression of ADBR3 was significantly higher in involuted (0.64 [0.12] vs 0.26 [0.04]; P < .01; 95% CI, 0.26-0.49) and propranolol-responsive hemangioma (0.66 [0.31] vs 0.26 [0.04]; P = .01; 95% CI, 0.16-0.68) compared with proliferative hemangioma.

Conclusions and Relevance

These data demonstrate the variable expression of ADBR subtypes among infantile hemangiomas during growth, involution, and response to treatment. These findings may have clinical implications regarding the use of selective vs nonselective β-blockade.

Level of Evidence

2.

Hemodynamic Characterization of Peripheral Arterio-venous Malformations

Peripheral arterio-venous malformations (pAVMs) are congenital vascular anomalies that require treatment, due to their severe clinical consequences. The complexity of lesions often leads to misdiagnosis and ill-planned treatments. To improve disease management, we developed a computational model to quantify the hemodynamic effects of key angioarchitectural features of pAVMs. Hemodynamic results were used to predict the transport of contrast agent (CA), which allowed us to compare our findings to digital subtraction angiography (DSA) recordings of patients. The model is based on typical pAVM morphologies and a generic vessel network that represents realistic vascular feeding and draining components related to lesions. A lumped-parameter description of the vessel network was employed to compute blood pressure and flow rates. CA-transport was determined by coupling the model to a 1D advection-diffusion equation. Results show that the extent of hemodynamic effects of pAVMs, such as arterial steal and venous hypertension, strongly depends on the lesion type and its vascular architecture. Dimensions of shunting vessels strongly influence hemodynamic parameters. Our results underline the importance of the dynamics of CA-transport in diagnostic DSA images. In this context, we identified a set of temporal CA-transport parameters, which are indicative of the presence and specific morphology of pAVMs.

High Flow AV Malformation (A-V Shunt) of Mandible: A Rare Life Threatening Entity

Intraosseous Arteriovenous Malformations (AVMs) in the head and neck region are very rare and potentially life threatening entities due to massive hemorrhage. These are the results of an embryonic abnormality of the vascular system. Depending on the blood flow and clinical presentations they are of different types like slow flow and high flow AVM. Here we present a case of high flow AVM involving mandible with a chief complain of gingival bleeding in a four year old girl child.

Arteriovenous Malformation of Face: A Challenge to Anesthesiologists

Arteriovenous (AV) malformations of the face are rare presentations. Endovascular coiling is one of the treatment modalities. We report a case of a 65-year-old lady who presented with a large AV malformation of the face located around the nasal bride and alae nasae posted for coiling under general anesthesia. Anesthetic management of the case was a challenge as it was an anticipated difficult airway situation. Furthermore, any pressure on the swelling can lead to rupture and hemorrhage as the skin above swelling was unhealthy. There was difficulty in mask ventilation both with larger- and smaller-sized facial masks including Rendell-Baker-Soucek mask. Supraglottic airway device had to be inserted as a rescue measure. After getting effective ventilation, muscle relaxants were supplemented, and trachea was intubated. While intubating the axis of the laryngoscope had to be maintained on the right side to avoid pressure on the swelling as it could traumatize the malformation. The procedure went on uneventful. The patient was extubated fully awake.

Arteriovenous Malformation of Face

Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are rare congenital vascular malformations accounting only 1.5% of all vascular anomalies with 50% occurrence in the oral and maxillofacial region. It usually results from birth defects of the vasculature. A literature search revealed only few case reports of AVMs in the facial region. Lack of meticulous diagnosis, scarcity of knowledge, and paucity of literature can result in their exsanguinations leading to fatal hemorrhagic incidents after various dental procedures such as tooth extraction, surgical intervention, puncture wound, or blunt injury in involved area. The present case describes the accidental diagnosis of asymptomatic high-flow AVMs in the facial region of pediatric patient reported primarily for the treatment of periapical abscess. This case report is unique because although there was no history of bleeding episodes, thorough examination and investigations diagnosed it as high-flow vascular malformation. It is important for the dental practitioner to be aware of AVM which may be present in the head and neck region that can produce fatal bleeding episodes during various dental procedures. Proper diagnosis of AVMs through complete history, precise clinical examination, and advanced imaging modalities can help in preventing serious life-threatening complications.

Venous malformations: clinical diagnosis and treatment

Venous malformation (VM) is the most common type of congenital vascular malformation (CVM). They are present at birth and are often symptomatic, causing morbidity and pain. VMs can be challenging to diagnose and are often confused with hemangioma in terminology as well as with imaging. An accurate clinical history and cross-sectional imaging are critical for diagnosis and for devising management. This manuscript will review imaging approaches to diagnosing VMs and current treatment strategies.

Venous malformations of the head and neck: current concepts in management

Low-flow venous malformations are congenital lesions and they are the third most common vascular anomaly in the head and neck. In this paper, the third in a series of three educational reviews, we discuss current trends in their management, and include a summary of common sclerosant agents used in their control.

Common Pediatric Skin Lesions: A Comprehensive Review of the Current Literature

The timely diagnosis and treatment of dermatologic disease in the pediatric population can be challenging. A basic, yet comprehensive knowledge of common lesions is essential for a successful practice in plastic surgery. In this article, the authors describe vascular, cystic, and pigmented cutaneous lesions that are commonly encountered in the pediatric population. Epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical course, and management options are discussed for each.

Treatment of a giant arteriovenous malformation associated with intracranial aneurysm rupture during pregnancy: A case report

Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) associated with aneurysm have rarely been reported in the literature. The present study reports the case of a 21-year-old pregnant female patient who presented with a subarachnoid hemorrhage and an intracranial hematoma located in the anterior end of the corpus callosum. Furthermore, an anterior cerebral aneurysm and an AVM were identified by digital subtraction angiography and magnetic resonance angiography. The aneurysm was clipped and the AVM was successfully removed by microsurgery. The diagnosis of AVM associated with an aneurysm was confirmed via intraoperative and postoperative pathological examinations. By performing a review of the current literature, issues and surgical considerations associated with AVM associated with aneurysm were analyzed.

Limb Necrosis Caused by Sclerotherapy When Treating Venous Malformation

Introduction

Percutaneous interventional sclerotherapy has been widely used to treat venous malformation. Satisfactory results have been reported, along with both mild and severe complications.

Report

A 1.5 year old girl was diagnosed as having a venous malformation of the right vulva and right inner thigh. The patient received sclerotherapy using polidocanol. After the surgery, the right foot and lower leg became pale, and then, a few days later, necrotic.

Conclusion

Accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment are challenging for vascular malformations and should only be carried out in centers with ample expertise.

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Interventional sclerotherapy has been widely used to treat venous malformations.

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Satisfactory results have been reported along with both mild and severe complications.

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There are no literature reports of limb necrosis, caused by sclerotherapy, requiring amputation.

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Treatment of vascular malformations should only be carried out in expert centers with ample expertise.

Lymph vessels: the forgotten second circulation in health and disease

The lymphatic circulation is still a somewhat forgotten part of the circulatory system. Despite this, novel insights in lymph angiogenesis in health and disease, application of immune markers for lymphatic growth and differentiation and also the introduction of new imaging techniques to visualize the lymphatic circulation have improved our understanding of lymphatic function in both health and disease, especially in the last decade. These achievements yield better understanding of the various manifestations of lymph oedemas and malformations, and also the patterns of lymphovascular spread of cancers. Immune markers that recognize lymphatic endothelium antigens, such as podoplanin, LYVE-1 and Prox-1, can be successfully applied in diagnostic pathology and have revealed (at least partial) lymphatic differentiation in many types of vascular lesions.

Propranolol for Preoperative Management of a Large Infantile Hemangioma

Infantile hemangiomas (IHs) are common vascular tumors that typically follow a predictable pattern of rapid proliferation followed by gradual involution. Although most do not require treatment, some large or difficult IHs do, with medical and surgical options available. Prior reports indicate the success of using propranolol, a nonselective β-blocker, to treat these lesions. This report will demonstrate the use of propranolol preoperatively to manage a large IH followed by surgical excision of the lesion in a collaborative medical and surgical approach.

Recurrent arteriovenous malformation on palate after embolization combined surgical resection: preoperative magnetic resonance features and intraoperative angiographic findings

Angiography is the gold standard for the diagnosis and complete resection of arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). The absence of residual AVM after surgery is commonly believed to reduce the risk of future hemorrhage. However, AVMs can recur after proven complete angiographic resection can occur, albeit rarely, especially in the pediatric population. We report a rare case of a recurrent AVM two years after complete resection in an adult patient. This case report shows that AVMs in adults can recur despite their rarity and despite postoperative angiography confirming complete removal. Moreover, in this case, the recurrent AVM involved a new feeding vessel that was not involved with the initial lesion.

Venous malformation of the ethmoid and sphenoid sinuses

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to present a rare case of a venous malformation that occupied the ethmoid and sphenoid sinuses. Prior to resection, it was believed to be a hemangioma.

METHODS

This study includes a case report and review of the literature.

CONCLUSION

There is often confusion between "hemangiomas" and "vascular malformations," but they are important to differentiate because they have unique approaches to treatment. Venous malformations in the paranasal sinuses are very rare. To our knowledge, this is the first case report that explicitly describes a venous malformation in the ethmoid and sphenoid sinuses. It was treated using endoscopic sinus surgery with intraoperative computer-assisted stereotactic navigation.

Giant Congenital Pelvic AVM Causing Cardiac Failure, Diplegia, and Neurogenic Bladder

Background

Pelvic arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are uncommon lesions and only a rare number of male cases have been reported. Their clinical presentations are variable and imaging modalities have an important place in diagnosis and treatment planning.

Case Report

We present the imaging findings of a giant congenital pelvic AVM that was diagnosed in a 30-year-old male patient eight years ago and which progressed despite follow-up and treatment, causing cardiac failure, diplegia, and neurogenic bladder.

Conclusions

Pelvic AVMs are uncommon lesions and they can present with various symptoms based on their locations and sizes. Delays in the diagnosis and treatment can cause local and systemic complications. Imaging is very important in the diagnosis of pelvic AVM.

Glossectomy in the severe maxillofacial vascular malformation with jaw deformity: a rare case report

In the field of oral-maxillofacial surgery, vascular malformations present in various forms. Abnormalities in the size of the tongue by vascular malformations can cause mandibular prognathism and skeletal deformity. The risk in surgical treatment for patients with vascular malformation is high, due to bleeding from vascular lesions. We report a rare case of macroglossia that was treated by partial glossectomy, resulting in an improvement in the swallowing and mastication functions in the patient. A 25-year-old male patient with severe open-bite and mandibular prognathism presented to our department for the management of macroglossia. The patient had a difficulty in food intake because of the large tongue. Orthognathic surgery was not indicated because the patient had severe jaw bone destruction and alveolar bone resorption. Therefore, the patient underwent partial glossectomy under general anesthesia. There was severe hemorrhaging during the surgery, but the bleeding was controlled by local procedures.

Sporadic Multifocal Venous Malformations of the Head and Neck

Objective. To report a case of unusually widespread sporadic venous malformations of the head and neck associated with normal D-dimer levels and, due to the protean clinical manifestations and increased risk of coagulopathy of these lesions, to review their diagnosis and clinical management. Case Report. A 25-year-old man presented with a one-year history of intermittent right-sided neck swelling and tongue swelling. Physical exam revealed additional lesions present throughout the head and neck. There was no family history suggestive of heritable vascular malformations. Radiographic imaging demonstrated 15 lesions located in various tissue layers consistent with venous malformations. A coagulation screen showed a normal prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, international normalized ratio, D-dimer level, and fibrinogen level. It was determined that the patient was not at increased risk for intraoperative coagulopathy and preoperative heparin administration would not be necessary. The patient's buccal and tongue lesions were subsequently excised with no complications. The patient also underwent sclerotherapy evaluation for his neck mass. Conclusion. This case describes a unique presentation of sporadic multifocal venous malformations. It also emphasizes the importance of prompt diagnosis and workup when multiple venous malformations are present to prevent morbidity during surgical excision secondary to intravascular coagulopathy.

Chorangioendothelioma of the Placenta: A Myth or Reality?

Chorangiomas of the placenta are often discovered incidentally and, although they are not common (1 in 9000 to 1 in 50 000 placentas), these tumors may be found in 0.5% to 1% of carefully examined placentas. The vast majority are of no clinical importance and complications are seen only in association with tumors measuring more than 4 cm in diameter. In contrast, hemangioendotheliomas are vascular tumors with varying grades of malignant potential and hardly ever involve the placenta. Here we describe a large placental chorangioma causing fetal hydrops and demonstrating distinctive intravascular luminal endothelial proliferation and tufting. To the best of our knowledge, this is probably only the second case of a placental hemangioendothelioma reported in the literature.

Lipoma or hemangioma: A diagnostic dilemma?

Lipomas and hemangiomas are well-known benign lesions of the body. However, their occurrence in the oral cavity is rare. Lipoma accounts for 1-4% of benign neoplasms of mouth affecting predominantly the buccal mucosa, floor of mouth and tongue. Hemangiomas occur mostly on the lips, buccal mucosa, tongue, and palate. Lipomas when superficially placed show yellowish surface discoloration and hemangiomas usually have reddish blue to deep blue color. Here, we report an unusual case of benign tumor occurring in the buccal vestibule.

A case of vascular malformation of the neck

Vascular malformations are rare congenital vascular anomalies composed of inappropriately connected vasculature. They are usually present at birth, are progressive, infiltrative and require intervention. Vascular malformations need to be differentiated from haemangiomas which are congenital vascular neoplasms. We present a case of vascular malformation in a 6-year old child who presented with a progressive swelling in the neck and was treated by surgical excision. This case is being presented because of its peculiar clinical presentation.

Large laryngeal vascular malformation in a 5-year-old child

A 5-year-old boy was admitted with stridor, which was initially interpreted as subglottic laryngitis. He had a history of prolonged hoarseness and his voice was deep for his age. The stridor persisted despite treatment with epinephrine inhalations and intravenous glucocorticoids. A direct laryngoscopy and blood work up did not support the suspected diagnosis. A MRI was then carried out, followed by angiography. The latter revealed an arteriovenous malformation (AVM) involving the lingual and superior thyroid arteries bilaterally. Owing to the rareness and extent of such an AVM, the patient was referred to Paris for further treatment. This case presents the difficulties in diagnostics and emphasises the importance of diagnostics and multidisciplinary approaches with regard to treatment of AVMs.

Mechanisms of propranolol action in infantile hemangioma

Infantile hemangioma is a common tumor of infancy. Although most hemangiomas spontaneously regress, treatment is indicated based on complications, risk to organ development and function, and disfigurement. The serendipitous discovery of propranolol, a non-selective β-adrenergic receptor blocker, as an effective means to regress hemangiomas has made this a first-line therapy for hemangioma patients. Propranolol has shown remarkable response rates. There are, however, some adverse effects, which include changes in sleep, acrocyanosis, hypotension, and hypoglycemia. Over the last few years, researchers have focused on understanding the mechanisms by which propranolol causes hemangioma regression. This has entailed study of cultured vascular endothelial cells including endothelial cells isolated from hemangioma patients. In this article, we review recent studies offering potential mechanisms of how various cell types found in hemangioma may respond to propranolol.

Consider obstructive sleep apnea in patients with oropharyngeal vascular malformations

INTRODUCTION

Patients with oropharyngeal vascular malformations with complaints of upper airway obstruction were referred to a sleep specialist to investigate the existence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

METHODS

Demography, complaints, localization, and extent of the malformation were noted. The Epworth Sleeping Scale (ESS) and a polysomnography were performed to analyze the existence of OSA.

RESULTS

Thirteen patients with vascular malformations in the upper oropharyngeal tract were referred, with a mean age of 49 years (range, 20-77 years). The male: female ratio was 7:6. In 2 patients the ESS was missed, and in the other 11 patients the mean ESS was 11.7 (range, 4-23). After polysomnography, 11 of the 13 patients (85%) were diagnosed with OSA, of whom 7 patients had severe OSA.

CONCLUSION

Patients with oropharyngeal vascular malformations with complaints of upper airway obstruction have a high risk of OSA, and should be referred to a sleep specialist.

An infiltrative angioarchitectural variant of arteriovenous malformation of temporalis

Vascular anomalies of the head and neck region pose a certain diagnostic and therapeutic paradox. Management of arteriovenous malformations (AVM) is a challenge owing to the presence of abnormal vascular communications and high recurrence. We report a case of a 19-year-old male patient, who presented with diffuse swelling in the right temporal region. Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA) suggested it to be an AVM in the temporalis muscle, having afferents in the ascending pharyngeal artery, with cavernous angioma. Surgical excision of the lesion was carried out under carotid control. Histopathology of the excised specimen utilizing special stains confirmed the presence of AVM. An absence of distinct nidus concomitant along with the exuberant proliferation of capillaries between the muscle fibres suggested it be an infiltrative angioarchitectural variant. The present case highlights significance of diagnosing AVM in temporalis muscle which is a rare occurrence in head and neck region. Also, the importance of ruling out other closely resembling vascular diathesis, both non neoplastic and malignant is discussed.

Rapid development of a simple ranula in a child

OBJECTIVE

A simple ranula is a gradually progressive, benign condition of the salivary gland. The report here describes a very rare case of a simple ranula enlarging in an acute fashion, resulting in airway obstruction.

CASE REPORT

A 7-year-old girl presented with swelling in the floor of the mouth, pushing the tongue upward and backward, requiring immediate nasotracheal intubation. Magnetic resonance imaging suggested a simple ranula requiring urgent surgery. The patient was followed up 4 weeks after discharge, at which time she was doing well.

CONCLUSION

To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first case reported of a simple ranula presenting in an acute fashion, leading to airway compromise in a pediatric patient. The literature is reviewed and features of diagnosis and treatment are presented.

Parental uncertainty in illness: managing uncertainty surrounding an "orphan" illness

Parents of children with complex chronic illnesses experience substantial uncertainty that is heightened when the condition is an "orphan" illness not belonging to one medical specialty. The current study explores uncertainty experienced by parents of children with "orphan" illnesses requiring multidisciplinary care.

METHOD

Participant-observations over 13 months (n=200) were combined with questionnaire data (n=55) to assess parental uncertainty at a multidisciplinary pediatric clinic.

RESULTS

Five unique types of uncertainty emerged from a grounded analysis (Glaser & Strauss, 1967), revealing 11 interrelated uncertainties these parents experience. Findings can help providers understand parents' uncertainty and assist in family-centered decision-making.

Transarterial embolization of a hepatic arteriovenous malformation in an infant using Onyx: a case report and review of the differential diagnosis imaging findings

Hepatic arteriovenous malformations are rare congenital lesions associated with significant morbidity and mortality, most commonly from high output cardiac failure. Efficient diagnosis and treatment demands an interdisciplinary approach, and the interventional radiologist plays a pivotal role in both. Imaging is important for diagnostic accuracy and treatment planning, and transcatheter embolization has become an established primary therapy. We report the clinical and imaging findings of a rare hepatic arteriovenous malformation in an infant presenting with high-output cardiac failure and pulmonary artery hypertension that was successfully treated by transarterial embolization using Onyx.