Diagnostic approach to hepatic vascular lesions: a paediatric perspective.

The pathological evaluation of hepatic vascular lesions in children requires special consideration. Inconsistent terminology, rarity of pathology specimens and overlapping pathological features between various lesions may pose a serious diagnostic challenge. In this review, we highlight the importance of using the International Society for the Study of Vascular Anomalies (ISSVA) classification scheme to characterise these lesions. Selected entities are discussed, including hepatic vascular tumours exclusively seen in the paediatric age group, hepatic infantile haemangioma and hepatic congenital haemangioma. Vascular malformations, with emphasis on their syndromic associations (venous malformation in blue rubber bleb naevus syndrome) and complications (hepatocellular nodules in Abernethy malformation) are also covered.

Sirolimus in blue rubber bleb naevus syndrome: A systematic review.

The aim of this study is to review sirolimus as a treatment for blue rubber bleb naevus syndrome (BRBNS). A literature search of Medline, Embase, CINAHL, SCOPUS and Google Scholar was conducted for publications reporting treatment of patients with BRBNS with sirolimus. Of 46 articles identified, 17 studies reporting 23 patients met inclusion criteria. Sirolimus was well tolerated in all but one patient who required treatment cessation; 17/18 patients noted an improvement in gastrointestinal disease where this was reported; 21/22 patients noted an improvement in cutaneous disease where this was reported. Based on these results, sirolimus may be considered a first-line treatment of BRBNS depending on patient morbidity.

The pathobiology of vascular malformations: insights from human and model organism genetics.

Vascular malformations may arise in any of the vascular beds present in the human body. These lesions vary in location, type, and clinical severity of the phenotype. In recent years, the genetic basis of several vascular malformations has been elucidated. This review will consider how the identification of the genetic factors contributing to different vascular malformations, with subsequent functional studies in animal models, has provided a better understanding of these factors that maintain vascular integrity in vascular beds, as well as their role in the pathogenesis of vascular malformations. Copyright © 2016 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.