Vascular Anomalies

The Vascular Anomalies Clinic at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital is the only program in the region providing
coordinated, multidisciplinary care for patients with vascular anomalies (blood vessels that have developed abnormally). Approximately one in 10 children are born with a vascular anomaly, which is commonly referred to as a birthmark. About half of all children who have vascular anomalies require treatment. Le Bonheur's Vascular Anomalies Clinic provides all aspects of care for vascular anomalies, including medical, surgical and minimally-invasive interventional radiology treatments with sclerotherapy.

There are two categories of vascular anomalies—vascular tumors and vascular malformations. The most common benign vascular tumor is the infantile hemangioma. Vascular malformations are capillary malformations, venous malformations, lymphatic malformations, arteriovenous malformations and combinations of the above.

Clinic Coordinator Lindsey O’Neal, BSN, RN, CPN, assists with scheduling all aspects of patient care
before, during and after clinic appointments, including diagnostic lab and radiologic testing, consults with
other specialists and interventional and surgical procedures. In addition, she coordinates arrangements
for FedExFamilyHouse lodging, a home away from home for out-of-town families with children receiving
treatment at Le Bonheur. To contact her, call 901-287-6447.

Treatment Options

  • Medication
  • Interventional therapy including sclerotherapy—injection of sclerosant (An injectable irritant used in the treatment of varicose veins that causes inflammation and subsequent fibrosis) medications directly into the lesion under ultrasound and fluoroscopic guidance. This is meant to reduce the size of the lesion and therefore reduce symptoms of pain, disfigurement or dysfunction of the region.
  • Surgery, often requires sclerotherapy prior to surgery.

Because vascular anomalies are unique to each child, we create customized multidisciplinary teams based on each child’s needs. Our doctors meet monthly at a case conference to discuss each child’s plan of care and determine next steps. Specialists include:

During your clinic visit, we will coordinate all radiology imaging, lab testing and specialist visits so that your child receives all of the necessary care at one time.

Your clinic visit might include:

  • Radiology Imaging
  • Bedside ultrasound (USG)
  • Lab testing  and biopsies
  • Consultation with multiple specialists

arteriovenous malformation/fistulas (AVM/F)

capillary malformation

congenital and infantile hemangiomas

cutis marmorata telangiectatica congenita (CMTC)

cystic hygroma

kaposiform hemangioendothelioma (KHE)

Kasabach Merritt phenomenon

Klippel Trenaunay syndrome

lymphatic malformation

mixed vascular malformation

multifocal lymphangioendotheliomatosis (MLT)

Parkes Weber syndrome

port wine stain

Sturge Weber syndrome

tufted angioma

vascular malformation

venolymphatic malformation

venous malformation

Blue Rubber Bleb Nevus syndrome

Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba syndrome

CLOVE syndrome

Maffucci syndrome

Proteus syndrome

Contact Vascular Anomalies

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