Vascular Malformation of the Face: a Rare Case with Follow-up of 18 Years

• Main Authors: José Alcides Almeida de Arruda, Emanuel Sávio Andrade, Richard Alonso Andrade, José Ricardo Dias Pereira, Gerhilde Callou
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: University of Zagreb. School of Dental Medicine 2017-01-01
• Series: Acta Stomatologica Croatica
• Subjects: Vascular Malformations; Port-Wine Stain; Blood Vessels; Face
• Online Access: http://hrcak.srce.hr/file/281465
• ISSN: 0001-7019; 1846-0410

Objective: Vascular malformations are structural anomalies in the blood vessels. They are present at birth and persist throughout life. These malformations can be classified according to the type of vessel involved. A port-wine stain is a vascular malformation characterized by an increased number of ectatic vessels in the dermal vascular plexus, which can be found in any part of the body, including the head and neck region. Over time, most of these stains result in soft tissue hypertrophy and this growth can cause severe facial deformity. Materials and Methods: This study describes a rare case of a giant proliferative vascular anomaly arising from a port-wine stain on the face. Results: The report highlights the continuous and proliferative growth of the malformation observed after follow-up of 18 years, as well as the difficulty in establishing the diagnosis due to the complexity and dimension of the lesion and the conditions related to the patient’s low socioeconomic status. Conclusions: We have described a rare and unusual case report of a giant proliferative vascular malformation arising from a Port-wine stain on the face.