Natural course of venous malformation after conservative treatment

To investigate the clinical course of patients with venous malformation (VM) treated conservatively.

We reviewed retrospectively the database of our Congenital Vascular Malformation clinic and interviewed 207 patients with VM, who had been managed only conservatively. The questionnaires asked about changes in size (no change, increase in proportion to growth, increase greater than in proportion to growth, decrease) and changes in symptoms (markedly worse, moderately worse, no change, moderately improved, markedly much improved). Progression of VMs was defined as an increase greater than in proportion to growth or worsening symptoms.

Fifty patients (24 %) reported an increase in size greater than in proportion to growth and 25 patients (12 %) reported symptoms worsening from their initial symptoms. Overall, sixty-six (32 %) of the patients reported evidence of progression of their VM. A binary logistic regression model identified VM combined with capillary malformation (CM) or lymphatic malformation (LM) as an independent predictor of VM progression (OR 2.67, 95 % CI 1.29-5.53).

Based on responses to the questionnaire, the size and symptoms of VM progressed in 32 % of patients over the course of their life. VMs combined with CM or LM were the only independent predictor of progression of a VM after conservative management.