[Hemangiomas and superficial vascular malformations: classification]

Superficial vascular malformations of the face, trunk and limbs are better known today, and they can be divided up into simple and complex vascular malformations. Simple vascular malformations may form five major categories: immature hemangiomas of infants, port-wine stains, capillarovenous angiodysplasias, and arteriovenous fistulae and malformations. Complex angiodysplasias are systematized (Sturge-Weber and Bonnet-Dechaume-Blanc syndromes, Cobb's metameric angiomatosis, Klippel-Trenaunay and Parkes Weber's syndromes) or disseminated (Weber-Osler-Rendu disease and blue rubber-bleb nevus syndrome). Various modalities of treatment may be contemplated, according to the type of malformations, and an interdisciplinary consultation is essential to decide whether a watch-and-wait policy, a physical method (laser), embolization, fibrosing injections, vascular, maxillofacial or plastic surgery, or a successive combination of various techniques should be resorted to.