The VASCERN-VASCA Working Group Diagnostic and Management Pathways for Capillary Malformations

Objective: VASCERN (https://vascern.eu/) is the European Reference Network for Rare Multisystemic Vascular Diseases. VASCERN-VASCA is the working group within VASCERN that focuses on the study of vascular anomalies. One of the objectives of this group is to establish patient pathways to guide physicians toward efficient diagnostic and management measures. The patient pathway presented here is focused on capillary malformations (CMs). Methods: The Nominal Group Technique, a structured variation of small group discussion was used. Two facilitators were identified: one to propose initial discussion points and draw the pathway and another to chair the discussion. A dermatologist (E. Baselga) was chosen as the first facilitator due to her specific clinical and research expertise. The draft was subsequently discussed within VASCERN-VASCA monthly virtual meetings and biannual face-to-face meetings. Results: The pathway starts from the clinical recognition of a vascular red stain, describing clinical characteristics and location. Depending on the clinical features, a subsequent workup for associated manifestations or complications is suggested. These steps should enable the establishment of 6 subtypes of CMs: (1) nevus simplex; (2) isolated CM, syndromic or nonsyndromic; (3) CM of microcephaly CM syndrome; (4) CM of CM–arteriovenous malformation syndromes; (5) “pseudo” CM of arteriovenous malformation; (6) cutis marmorata telangiectatica congenita. Management according to the recognized phenotype is detailed in subsequent pages of the pathway. A color code is used to differentiate (1) clinical evaluations, (2) investigations, (3) associated genes, and (4) treatments. Actions relevant to all types are marked in separate boxes, for example, when to perform specific imaging. Conclusion: The collaborative efforts of VASCERN-VASCA, a European network of the 14 Expert Centers for Vascular Anomalies, have led to a consensus pathway for CMs. This pathway may help clinicians to guide in the diagnosis and management of CMs, as well as to emphasize the crucial role of multidisciplinary expert centers in the management of these patients. This pathway is available on the VASCERN website (http://vascern.eu/).

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Publication Details

Journal
Journal of Vascular Anomalies
Published
2025-02-21
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1097/jova.0000000000000102
Citations
1
Primary Topic
Vascular Malformations and Hemangiomas
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
2.01
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article

The VASCERN-VASCA Working Group Diagnostic and Management Pathways for Capillary Malformations

Sofia Frisk, Sigurd Berger, Friedrich Kapp, A. Dompmartin et al.
1 citations
Journal of Vascular Anomalies
Vascular Malformations and Hemangiomas
2.01
article

The VASCERN-VASCA Working Group Diagnostic and Management Pathways for Capillary Malformations

Sofia Frisk, Sigurd Berger, Friedrich Kapp, A. Dompmartin, Darius Palionis, Nader Ghaffarpour, Veronika Dvořáková, Louis Boon, Birutė Vaišnytė, Thomas Hjuler, Eulàlia Baselga, Rune Andersen, Paolo Gasparella, Kristiina Kyrklund, O. Boccara, Andrea Diociaiuti, Päivi Salminen, Leo J. Schultze Kool, Annouk Bisdorff-Bresson, Annegret Holm, Carine van der Vleuten, Mikkel Kaltoft, Miguel Madureira, Jochen Karl Rössler, Maria Bom‐Sucesso, Alan D. Irvine, May El Hachem, Caroline van den Bosch, Emir Q. Haxhija, Jukka Tolonen, Miikka Vikkula, Miguel Bejarano Serrano, Petra Borgards, Maria Barea
article en
1 citations

Abstract

Objective: VASCERN (https://vascern.eu/) is the European Reference Network for Rare Multisystemic Vascular Diseases. VASCERN-VASCA is the working group within VASCERN that focuses on the study of vascular anomalies. One of the objectives of this group is to establish patient pathways to guide physicians toward efficient diagnostic and management measures. The patient pathway presented here is focused on capillary malformations (CMs). Methods: The Nominal Group Technique, a structured variation of small group discussion was used. Two facilitators were identified: one to propose initial discussion points and draw the pathway and another to chair the discussion. A dermatologist (E. Baselga) was chosen as the first facilitator due to her specific clinical and research expertise. The draft was subsequently discussed within VASCERN-VASCA monthly virtual meetings and biannual face-to-face meetings. Results: The pathway starts from the clinical recognition of a vascular red stain, describing clinical characteristics and location. Depending on the clinical features, a subsequent workup for associated manifestations or complications is suggested. These steps should enable the establishment of 6 subtypes of CMs: (1) nevus simplex; (2) isolated CM, syndromic or nonsyndromic; (3) CM of microcephaly CM syndrome; (4) CM of CM–arteriovenous malformation syndromes; (5) “pseudo” CM of arteriovenous malformation; (6) cutis marmorata telangiectatica congenita. Management according to the recognized phenotype is detailed in subsequent pages of the pathway. A color code is used to differentiate (1) clinical evaluations, (2) investigations, (3) associated genes, and (4) treatments. Actions relevant to all types are marked in separate boxes, for example, when to perform specific imaging. Conclusion: The collaborative efforts of VASCERN-VASCA, a European network of the 14 Expert Centers for Vascular Anomalies, have led to a consensus pathway for CMs. This pathway may help clinicians to guide in the diagnosis and management of CMs, as well as to emphasize the crucial role of multidisciplinary expert centers in the management of these patients. This pathway is available on the VASCERN website (http://vascern.eu/).

Journal of Vascular AnomaliesVol. 6(1)
Oslo University Hospital (NO), Hospital Sant Joan de Déu Barcelona (ES), Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc (BE), Karolinska University Hospital (SE), University of Helsinki (FI), University of Freiburg (DE), Vilnius University (LT), Medical University of Graz (AT), Trinity College Dublin (IE), Helsinki University Hospital (FI), Copenhagen University Hospital (DK), Rigshospitalet (DK), Karolinska Institutet (SE), Children's Health Ireland at Crumlin (IE), Hospital de São João (PT), Assistance Publique – Hôpitaux de Paris (FR), Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Caen Normandie (FR), de Duve Institute (BE), Hôpital Lariboisière (FR), Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital (IT), Université de Caen Normandie (FR)
Partnerships for the goals
Openalex Percentile: Top 19%
Vascular Malformations and Hemangiomas
2.01
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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