Congenital vascular malformations are disorders of the blood vessels that a person is born with. They may be merely cosmetic abnormalities of the skin that cause no harm to the patient. But more serious types of vascular malformations can occur internally and require treatment. These abnormal tangles of arteries and veins can cause pain and bleeding, and may deprive normal tissues of their blood supply.

NYU Medical Center is renowned worldwide as a center of excellence for treating all types of congenital vascular malformations. Our doctors take a multidisciplinary approach to the care and treatment of patients with these disfiguring disorders. The team includes specialists from plastic surgery, dermatology, hematology, neuroradiology, nursing, ophthalmology, otolaryngology, pediatrics, psychology, and social work.

Small hemangiomas usually remain a cosmetic problem and may require no therapy. Many hemangiomas, however, can cause severe consequences by obstructing a vital organ or causing congestive heart failure or bleeding. These lesions require medical management, which can be accomplished with steroids, surgical excision, and/or laser.

Our vascular surgeons and interventional radiologists employ a minimally invasive method called embolization, which effectively shuts down the flow of blood to vascular malformations. Guided by x-ray, the doctor inserts a catheter into the artery feeding the malformation. Special medical adhesives, microspheres, or alcohol then flow through the catheter into the artery, filling the vessels and blocking the flow of blood. The malformation then shrinks and no longer poses a threat to the patient.

NYU Resources

The Hemangioma and Vascular Malformations Clinical Division

Stephen D. Hassenfeld Children's Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders

Interventional Radiology and Endovascular Surgery