Epidemiology, diagnostics and treatment of vascular tumours and malformations

Vascular tumours and vascular malformations are common vasculose anomalies characteristic for dissimilar clinical course, specific biological as well as immune cytological and histological properties. Vascular lesions classification system and their detailed division into groups and subgroups were elaborated and implemented in Rome, in 1996, during meeting of the International Society for the Study of Vascular Anomalies (ISSVA). It was based on modification of an earlier going division by Mullikien and Głowacki from 1982. Infantile hemangiomas are the most numerous group of benign tumours of mesenchymal origin. Vascular malformations appear definitely less often. They are composed of normal endothelium lined displastic vessels which originate from vascular tissue abnormal morphogenesis. In contrast, in hemangiomas, at the proliferation stage, increased, multiplication of endothelial cells is observed as well as of fibroblasts, mastocytes and macrophages. Infantile hemangiomas are usually not present at the moment of birth and white chloasma with superficial teleangiectasis appears which increases within 3-4 weeks and gets bright red colour and reveal very characteristic clinical course basing on intensive growth period and involution long process. Vascular malformations are observed most often at the delivery moment or they may appear at an early childhood. They enlarge proportionally along with the child's growth and their sudden expansion may be triggered by an infection, hormonal changes or trauma. Contrary to hemangiomas, they do not subside spontaneously and their abrupt increase may result in impairment or deformation of important anatomical structures. Infantile hemangiomas and vascular malformations require different and individual treatments which are often multi-stage procedures carried on in specialistic centres of plastic surgery, vascular surgery or maxillofacial surgery.