Diagnosis and treatment of soft tissue venous malformations on the body surface

Venous Malformation (VM), also known as Cavernous Hemangioma, is a common congenital soft tissue vascular malformation that can occur in all parts of the body, with a higher incidence in the head and neck, followed by the extremities and trunk. VM lesions grow with the body and do not recede on their own, with no gender differences in incidence. There is no gender difference in the incidence.  The superficial VM has a purplish-blue appearance, while the deeper VM has no abnormal appearance. VM is a soft, compressible, non-pulsatile swelling on palpation, usually with indistinct borders. The size of the swelling may change with position change. If the VM is in the face and neck, it will decrease in size in the standing position and increase in size when the head is hanging low. Some VMs may show local ecchymosis, swelling and pain when there is intra-tumoral bleeding. Some limb VMs invade nerves and may cause pain.  VM pathologically presents as dilated vascular luminal sinuses ranging from capillaries to large luminal cavities, the luminal walls of which are lined with normal flattened endothelial cells. A single layer of basement membrane lies beneath the endothelium. The pathogenesis of VM remains incompletely understood. The pathogenesis of VM is still not fully understood, but mutations in the Tie-2 gene have been confirmed by studying VM families in the body’s soft tissues. The application of umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) carrying the Tie-2 gene mutation has also been successful in establishing VM models in nude mice.  The diagnostic methods for venous malformations include physical examination and imaging (ultrasonography and MRI). The three-dimensional imaging method of percutaneous percutaneous contrast CT scan we performed is the first of its kind and clearly and visually shows the three-dimensional morphology and reflux characteristics of venous malformations, which is a strong guide for clinical treatment.  Most venous malformations are isolated. Some complex venous malformations can invade large areas of body soft tissues, muscles and nerves, causing limb dysfunction or even disability. The treatment of venous malformations, which have no distinct borders and complex anatomical relationships with surrounding organs and tissues, remains a challenge.  The main treatment methods for VM include surgical treatment, sclerotherapy, copper wire retention treatment, and a combination of these methods. The indications for each treatment method differ and we describe them separately in the subsequent content.  The following are the appearance of venous malformations, ultrasonography, MRI and 3D imaging presentation of percutaneous perforography CT.