In this Q&A, pediatric ENT physician Steven Andreoli, MD, and pediatric interventional radiologist, Craig Johnson, DO, discuss and answer parents’ questions about vascular anomalies.
The experts begin by discussing common types of vascular anomalies.
An infantile hemangioma is a type of birthmark that happens when a tangled group of blood vessels grows in or under a baby’s skin. Infantile hemangiomas become visible in the first few days to weeks after a baby is born. Hemangiomas that are visible at birth are called congenital hemangiomas. They grow differently and are treated differently. Infantile hemangiomas are much more common than congenital hemangiomas. There are two main types of infantile hemangiomas: infantile and deep.
A lymphatic malformation is a clump of abnormal lymph vessels that form a growing, disorganized, spongy cluster of cysts. Lymphatic malformations appear as masses (unusual growths), but they are benign (not cancerous).
A venous malformation is a place in the body where veins haven’t developed in the usual way. Veins in a VM tend to be larger and more tangled than normal veins. A venous malformation close to the skin usually looks like a maroon, blue, or purple spot.
