Vascular Malformations in Childhood

Vascular malformations are inborn errors of vascular embryogenesis present at birth that should be diagnosed in childhood and, when necessary, treated to prevent later complications. The current trend is to classify these lesions according to flow characteristics and the predominant type of vascular channel affected. Given the complexity, and in many cases, the rarity, of vascular malformations, they should be managed by multidisciplinary teams at vascular anomalies centers. Furthermore, because the association between vascular malformations and certain syndromes is becoming increasingly recognized, a better understanding of these lesions will help to improve overall patient management in this setting. (C) 2011 Elsevier Espana, S.L. and AEDV. All rights reserved.