Capillary malformation associated with angiolipoma: analysis of 127 consecutive clinic patients

Capillary malformations (also known as port-wine stains) are low-flow vascular malformations of the skin that occur in 0.3% of neonates. Angiolipomas are subcutaneous, benign, usually multiple, lesions, composed of adipose tissue and blood vessels, which occur in young adults.

The aims of this study were to determine whether there is an association between capillary malformations and angiolipoma, and to describe the characteristics of patients with this association.

Prompted by our finding of an accompanying subcutaneous mass in a patient with capillary malformation, we reviewed the entire pool of 127 patients (71 women, 56 men; average age 22.2 years) attending the Rabin Medical Center (Petach Tikva, Israel) for treatment of nonfacial capillary malformations. All patients underwent a detailed history and comprehensive physical examination. Biopsy samples were taken from suspect lesions.

In addition to the index patient, four patients were found to have a subcutaneous mass beneath the capillary formation. Imaging and histologic studies identified the mass as an angiolipoma. All of the lesions were relatively refractory to pulsed dye laser or intense pulsed light treatment.

This unique report of an association between capillary malformation and angiolipoma is intended to raise the index of suspicion for underlying angiolipoma in clinicians treating patients with refractory nonfacial capillary malformations.