Vascular Anomalies in Clinical Practice - A Retrospective Study

Introduction: Vascular anomalies, encompassing both vascular tumors and malformations, represent a diverse spectrum of conditions that pose diagnostic and therapeutic challenges in clinical practice. Methods: This retrospective study examines patients diagnosed with vascular tumors or malformations over a two-year period, from April 2023 to April 2025, at a tertiary care center in Nepal. Data were gathered from medical records, encompassing patient demographics, clinical presentation, imaging findings, and treatment strategies. Results: Thirty-seven cases of vascular malformations (VM) were managed, with a mean patient age of 18.58 years (SD 11.5), ranging from 1.5 to 51 years. The cohort included 20 females and 17 males, with lesions most commonly affecting the lower limb (13 cases), followed by the head and neck (12 cases) and the upper limb (11 cases). Minimally invasive therapy preceded surgical intervention in 8 cases, while 6 patients presented with recurrent lesions following previous surgery. Surgical management included tourniquet use in 18 cases, external iliac control in one massive AVM, and alternative vascular control for proximal limb, trunk, or head and neck lesions. The median operative time was 130 minutes (IQR: 70–225), with a median blood loss of 170 mL (IQR: 50–275). The median hospital stay was 4 days (IQR: 3–7) Conclusions: This study highlights key aspects of the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and management of vascular anomalies in surgical practice. Surgical intervention, complemented by vascular control techniques and sclerotherapy, plays a critical role in optimizing patient outcomes.