Approach to the management of vascular malformations of head and neck and its challenges: An institutional experience

Background: Vascular malformations (VMs) in the region of the head and neck are a complex group of lesions that present with serious challenges in diagnosis and management. We sought to study the efficacy and safety of a therapeutic algorithm emphasizing multimodal management in the treatment of head and neck VMs. Methodology: A retrospective study was conducted reviewing all the patient information from the database who were treated for VM of the head and neck at the institution. Patients who presented during the period between January 2012 and December 2022 were included in the study. Conservative care, sclerotherapy, embolization, surgical excision, or a combination of these techniques were among the management options based on the clinical profile of the patient as well as the characteristics of the lesion. Results: 91 VMs in the region of the head and neck included 45 (49%) males and 46 (51%) females, with an age range of between 4 years and 71 years (mean 23.9 ± 14.06 years). There were 53 low-flow vascular malformations (LFVMs), of which 6 (11.9%) were managed conservatively, 26 (49.05%) were treated with sclerotherapy, 20 (37.7%) underwent excision, and 1 (1.8%) was treated with combination therapy. Of the 38 high-flow vascular malformations (HFVMs), 12 (31.5%) were treated with arterial embolization, 13 (34.2%) were primarily resected, 2 (5.2%) with excision and reconstruction, 5 (13.1%) underwent embolization and excision, and 1 (2.6%) underwent emergency external carotid artery ligation. In the LFVM group, response to sclerotherapy led to improvements in 24 (92%) patients, while surgical resection led to improvements in 20 (100%) individuals. In the HFVM group, embolization therapy improved 9 (75%), combination therapy improved 5 (100%), and surgical resection improved 15 (100%) of the patients. Conclusions: In our experience, the implementation of a multimodal management algorithm has had favorable outcomes with an acceptable complication rate in head and neck VMs.