Update on hemangiomas and vascular malformations

Hemangiomas and vascular malformations are frequently encountered in pediatric practice, especially hemangiomas and port-wine stains. These lesions may cause physical and psychological complications and it is important to recognize which lesions need to be treated and how. Great progress has been made in the classification of vascular anomalies. Angiogenesis and molecular genetics are areas of active research; recent findings relating to hemangiomas and vascular malformations are presented. New clinical features of hemangiomas are described, such as association of extensive facial hemangiomas with various malformations and the occurrence of Kasabach-Merritt phenomenon, not with common hemangiomas, but with other vascular tumors (Kaposiform hemangioendothelioma and tufted angioma). Interferon alfa is effective for treatment of complicated hemangiomas but may cause serious neurological side effects. It is to be hoped that early diagnosis of Sturge-Weber syndrome will soon be possible with new, noninvasive, functional imaging techniques. New issues surrounding pulsed dye laser therapy for port-wine stains are also discussed in this article.