Instillation of alcohol into venous malformations of the head and neck.

• Vascular malformations are errors of vascular morphogenesis, and must be differentiated from vascular tumours such as haemangiomas, because the natural history and treatment are different. Vascular malformations may be arteriovenous with high blood flow, or venous with low blood flow. Venous vascular malformations grow among soft tissues and are difficult to delineate at operation. Direct puncture under fluoroscopy with injection of contrast medium is one method of visualising the cavities of a venous malformation. Instillation of concentrated alcohol directly into such cavities is a possible treatment. Forty-four patients with venous malformations of the head or neck have been treated since 1984, of whom 31 responded to a follow up questionnaire. Twenty-three responded to injection of ethanol alone, and eight also required reconstructive surgery; 26 of the 31 described the result as "good" or "excellent" (84%).

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Anestesi och intensivvård (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Anesthesiology and Intensive Care (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Adolescent

Adult

Anesthesia

General

Child

Congenital Abnormalities

therapy

Embolization

Therapeutic

Ethanol

administration & dosage

therapeutic use

Face

blood supply

Female

Follow-Up Studies

Humans

Instillation

Drug

Male

Middle Aged

Neck

blood supply

Time Factors

Veins

abnormalities

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)