Hemangiomas of the maxillofacial area: Case Report, Classification and Treatment Planning

Abstract

Vascular lesions of the maxillofacial area are even more challenging than in other different body district, because of the high aesthetic and functional relevance of this area for the sense organs presence like eye, brain, tongue, ear and nose. For these reasons, we propose an accurate classification based on hemodynamic and histologic aspects usefulthat is for diagnostic and therapeutic planning. A female, 60 years old patient came to our observation showing a vascular lesion of the lower left lip, and complaining for aesthetical and functional impairment. To confirm the diagnosis of vascular malformation and to detect lesion flow rate or other possible localization, a Tc red blood cell scintigraphy was carried out. Result was a venous low flow lesion; hence, sclerotherapy by a 3% Polidocanol solution (Atossisclerol) followed by surgery was planned. The aim of this work was to propose a diagnostic and therapeutic scheme with an integration of ISSVA and a flow rate classifications for a three-step planning based on 1) the biological findings in an early age at the lesion discover with a pharmacological treatment; 2) Hemodynamic study of the lesions at growing age followed by sclerotherapy or embolization; 3) Imaging study of these lesions for patients candidate to surgery when after step 1 and step 2 diagnostic and therapeutic planning results were incompletely successful.