Capillary malformation (CM), or port wine birthmark, is a congenital low-flow vascular malformation of dilated capillaries and postcapillary venules. It often affects the face and may darken, thicken, or develop nodules over time. Most CMs are isolated but can be associated with syndromes such as Sturge-Weber, characterized by a facial CM, leptomeningeal vascular malformation, and ocular findings such as glaucoma. CMs also occur in other syndromes, emphasizing the need for thorough clinical evaluation. Management is multidisciplinary, with pulsed-dye laser as the gold standard treatment; excision may be required for tissue overgrowth.
Infantile hemangioma (IH) is the most common benign soft tissue tumor of infancy with its pathogenesis yet to be elucidated. IHs are defined as vascular tumors of infancy and the diagnosis of IH is largely based on clinical findings, most commonly the characteristic strawberry appearance. IHs follow a stereotyped life cycle of rapid growth, a plateau, and eventual involution, and most do not require treatment. If complicated, first-line medical treatment of IH is oral propranolol, currently the most commonly used and efficacious drug. Surgery remains an option but is reserved for IHs primarily not responsive to medical treatment.
