[Cutaneous vascular anomalies in children]

Area of Science:

• Pediatric vascular lesions
• Dermatology
• Vascular medicine

Background:

• Vascular anomalies are a diverse group of poorly understood lesions affecting 5-10% of children.
• Misclassification, often using the term 'angiomas', is common.
• Propranolol's effectiveness has increased interest in these conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To educate family doctors on classifying and managing vascular anomalies.
• To provide a standardized terminology and decision-making tool for primary care.
• To reduce diagnostic errors and optimize patient referral pathways.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of existing literature.

Main Results:

• 71.3% of publications erroneously use the term 'hemangioma'.
• Adopting the International Society for the Study of Vascular Anomalies (ISSVA) classification is crucial.
• 90% of vascular anomalies are diagnosed clinically, enabling primary care diagnosis.

Conclusions:

• Family doctors can diagnose most vascular anomalies using a decision tree and the ISSVA classification.
• Infantile hemangiomas, the most common type, often regress spontaneously.
• Referral to specialists is reserved for complex cases, with watchful waiting appropriate for many.