ABSTRACT
Congenital vascular malformations are among the most difficult lesions to treat in all of vascular surgery. Even in the most experienced hands, the results of treatment are often more palliative than curative, and the risk of significant complication is always present. The risks cannot be eliminated but can be minimized by carefully defining the nature of the lesion, educating the patient and family as to the natural history, and determining the type of treatment indicated, if any. Many of the complications of treatment in these cases are due to initial misdiagnosis-a common problem in this confusing group of disorders. Some of these lesions follow a benign clinical course, while others can produce lifethreatening complications and still others involute spontaneously and completely in childhood. It behooves the clinician caring for these patients to correctly identify the problem; only then can an appropriate risk-benefit decision be made regarding therapy.
