Vascular malformations are a group of malformations in one or more blood vessels throughout the body. There are many different types of vascular malformations that are named according to which part of the body they affect. However, regardless of where or what type of vascular malformation you have, there’s a good chance it developed before birth. Therefore, vascular malformations are often mistaken for birthmarks and similar markings.
Vascular malformations can look different depending on where they’re located on the body and how large they are. They can look like red blemishes, blood spots, or dark marks on your skin. It’s rare for vascular malformations to develop in full-grown adults. However, some instances like surgeries, illnesses, and other conditions can cause vascular malformations to damage other parts of your body.
Vascular malformations can affect any part of your body, from the head to the toes. However, they always stem from an abnormality or growth in one or more of your blood vessels, including the arteries, veins, capillaries, arterioles, and more. While most vascular malformations are harmless at first, they continue to grow inside you and can eventually cause a wide range of symptoms.
These symptoms vary greatly depending on the type of vascular malformation you have and how severe it is.
Because of how rare and unpredictable vascular malformations are, medical researchers are still learning about them. Vascular malformations result from abnormal blood vessels that cause congenital birth defects on or below the skin. While doctors don’t always know what causes this, here are a few risk factors associated with vascular malformations.
If you have any of these syndromes or conditions, you have a better chance of having a vascular malformation. While the malformation was likely present at birth, you might not start showing symptoms until after developing one of these conditions.
You’ll have to go to a doctor to diagnose a vascular malformation properly. These formations look similar to other birth markings, defects, and haemangiomas. Therefore, only a medical professional can determine if you have a vascular malformation or another condition. Here’s how your doctor will diagnose a vascular malformation.
These imaging tests will help your doctor get a good look at what they suspect could be a vascular malformation. Using these tests, along with a physical inspection, blood tests, and complete patient history, your doctor can diagnose a vascular malformation. If they are still uncertain, they will order a biopsy to obtain a sample of the affected area.
The biggest risk that people with vascular malformations have is that it can cause damage to nearby organs and muscles. Therefore, treating a vascular malformation revolves around minimizing the possible symptoms and potential damage.
The exact treatment you receive will depend on the severity of the malformation, where it’s located, and what type it is. However, treatment will typically involve the following.
In some cases, vascular malformations don’t require treatment but simply need to be monitored. However, if they start to affect other parts of the body or result in dangerous symptoms, you’ll require one or more of the above treatments.