Vaskulárna medicína 2/2025
Peripheral venous malformations
Venous malformations (VMs) are part of a broader group of vascular anomalies, which the International Society for the Study of Vascular Anomalies (ISSVA) classifies into true vascular tumors and congenital vascular malformations (CVMs). They make up as much as twothirds of all CVMs and are the most common type of vascular malformation overall. They can occur anywhere on the skin and mucous membranes, in muscle tissue, joints, or internal organs. Typical locations include the head, neck, and extremities. Association with capillary or lymphatic malformations is relatively common. They are present at birth but may initially be very subtle and asymptomatic. The natural course of VMs is progressive, with proportional growth involving the dilation and thrombosis of dysplastic primitive veins, increasing with age and never regressing. Growth acceleration typically occurs during puberty, pregnancy, after trauma, or following inappropriate invasive treatment. Pain is the most common clinical symptom and significantly reduces the patient‘s quality of life. Up to 95% of all vascular malformations, including venous ones, arise sporadically due to a random somatic mutation in a specific tissue region during fetal development. Only approximately 5% are inherited and are part of more complex congenital syndromes. Vascular malformations and their associated syndromes remain a significant challenge in terms of diagnosis and treatment, as they are mostly incurable with onset in childhood. They require a comprehensive interdisciplinary approach and close collaboration among multiple specialists, ideally within a dedicated vascular anomaly center—now the standard of care in all developed countries.
Keywords: venous malformation, localized intravascular coagulation, MR angiography, percutaneous sclerotherapy, ISSVA, vascular anomaly
