Surgical Management of Intramuscular Venous Malformations

Congenital Vascular Malformations in Children: From Historical Perspective to a Multidisciplinary Approach in the Modern Era-A Comprehensive Review

Congenital vascular malformations (CVMs) are the result of an aberrant development during embryogenesis. Although these lesions are present at birth, they are not always visible yet. Once symptomatic, patients suffer from pain, bleeding, ulcers, infections or lymphatic leakage, depending on the subtype of vessels involved. Treatment includes conservative management, surgery, sclerotherapy, embolization and pharmacological therapy. The clinical presentation varies widely and treatment can be challenging due to the rarity of the disease and potential difficulties of treatment. This review gives an overview of the historical developments in diagnosis and classification and exposes the key elements of innovations in the past decades on the identification of genetic mutations and personalized treatment. These advances in the field and a multidisciplinary approach are highly valuable in the optimization of clinical care aimed at both curing or stabilizing the CVM and pursuing physical and psychosocial wellbeing.

Characteristics, Natural Course and Treatment of Intramuscular Capillary-type Haemangioma: A Systematic Literature Review

Intramuscular capillary-type haemangiomas (ICTH) are rare vascular anomalies that can easily be misdiagnosed as other entities. A systematic review was performed of all cases of ICTH in the literature since its first description in 1972. An adjudication committee reviewed cases to include only ICTHs. Among 1,143 reports screened, 43 were included, involving 75 patients. The most frequent differential diagnosis was intramuscular venous malformations. The mean age of patients at diagnosis was 21.2 years. ICTH was mainly described as a gradually increasing mass (81.8%), painless (73.9%), that could occur anywhere in the body but most frequently on the head and neck (44.0%). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was mainly used for diagnosis (69.1%) and displayed specific features. The most frequent treatment was complete surgical removal (73.9%), which could be preceded by embolization, and led to complete remission without recurrence in all but 1 case.

3D printing personalized guide plate in the management of recurrent intramuscular venous malformations: A single center experience

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of 3D printing personalized guide plate in the management of recurrent intramuscular venous malformations (IVM).

Methods

Fifteen patients with recurrent IVM were retrospectively assessed. 3D-slicer software was used to extract and reconstruct the imaging data from CT and/or MRI to highlight the morphology, size, and puncture depth of the lesion. With the guidance of personalized plate, complete excision of the IVM was adopted along the pre-marked (methylene blue, MB) margin.

Results

Personalized guide plate matched involved extremity well, and MB-puncture approach was consistent with preoperative design. All IVMs were removed radically in one single session. Complete pain relief was obtained in all cases postoperatively.

Conclusion

The application of 3D printing guide plate can be safe, effective, and reliable to confirming the precise margin of IVM, renders a promising technique with a high practical value in resection of recurrent lesion.

Venous Malformations

Venous malformations, the most common type of vascular malformation, are slow-flow lesions resulting from disorganized angiogenesis. The International Society for the Study of Vascular Anomalies (ISSVA) classification offers a categorization scheme for venous malformations based on their genetic landscapes and association with congenital overgrowth syndromes. Venous malformations present as congenital lesions and can have broad physiologic and psychosocial sequelae depending on their size, location, growth trajectory, and tissue involvement. Diagnostic evaluation is centered around clinical examination, imaging evaluation with ultrasound and time-resolved magnetic resonance imaging, and genetic testing for more complex malformations. Interventional radiology has emerged as first-line management of venous malformations through endovascular treatment with embolization, while surgery and targeted molecular therapies offer additional therapeutic options. In this review, an updated overview of the genetics and clinical presentation of venous malformations in conjunction with key aspects of diagnostic imaging and treatment are discussed.