Improvement in Diagnostic Accuracy of Hemangioma and Vascular Malformation through Multidisciplinary Clinic

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: It is difficult to provide accurate diagnosis and proper treatment for vascular anomalies, because vascular anomalies have a wide spectrum of lesion with various symptoms. Furthermore, vascular anomalies often require the services of a wide range of specialists. So, many patients have been discouraged by the lack of expertise and treatment options available to them. In this study, we aimed to describe the scope of the Vascular Malformation clinic (VAM clinic), a multidisciplinary clinic for hemangioma and vascular malformation patients and investigate of diagnostic accuracy of VAM clinic. METHODS: 68 patients have included in a retrospective, medical record review study in the VAM clinic from may 2002 to august 2009. Data included the types of diagnoses of patients seen in the clinic, locations of lesions, comparison of accuracy of diagnoses at other clinic and initial diagnoses at VAM clinic and types of recommended treatments. RESULTS: Initial diagnosis at VAM clinic showed 94.2% accuracy, while diagnosis at other clinic only showed 12.5% accuracy. Head and neck is most frequently occurred lesions in patients of VAM clinic. And VAM clinic is able to provide various and proper treatments to patients. CONCLUSION: Hemangiomas and vascular malformations can present with various medical problems. VAM clinic, the multidisciplinary clinic provided accurate diagnoses and proper treatments to patients.