Venous malformation of the pediatric airway

Objective: To evaluate the management of venous malformations of the pediatric airway, including diagnostic criteria and response to sclerotherapy and laser photocoagulation. Design: Case series analysis of eight patients diagnosed with venous malformations of the upper airway. Setting: Academic, tertiary care, children's hospital. Patients: Eight patients (3 female, 5 male) with congenital venous malformations of the upper airway. Intervention: Each patient underwent an individualized treatment regimen of sclerotherapy, laser photocoagulation and/or surgery. Results: The combination of sclerotherapy and laser photocoagulation appears to cause gradual regression of the malformation. Five of the eight patients will require further therapy; two patients remain tracheotomy dependent. Conclusions: Extensive venous malformations of the pediatric airway require staged therapy, with a combination of sclerotherapy and photocoagulation. Long-term follow-up is essential because of the natural history of these lesions.