Treating venous malformations with nanomedicines

Venous malformations (VMs) are congenital vascular anomalies that cause pain, bleeding, and functional impairment, yet current first-line therapies such as sclerotherapy and surgical resection are limited by complications and high recurrence rates. Nanomedicine provides a promising alternative by exploiting the enhanced permeation and retention (EPR)-like effect to achieve selective accumulation of nanoparticles (NPs) within VMs. Preclinical studies support the use of NPs not only for improved drug delivery but also for non-pharmacologic based treatment, such as photothermal therapy. Furthermore, active targeting strategies involving surface-functionalized NPs offer the potential for enhanced specificity and treatment efficacy. Despite these advances, clinical translation faces challenges such as heterogeneity in EPR efficiency, depth-limited delivery, and pediatric safety concerns. Continued efforts to create more effective, pediatric-specific drug delivery systems are essential for developing safer, more efficient, and minimally invasive nanomedicine therapy for patients with VMs.