Vascular anomalies

Venous malformations are basically vein dilatations. They are usually present at birth and start dilating progressively with increasing age. Vein dilatations can be present in the skin or mucous membranes. In hereditary forms of the disease there are usually multiple venous malformations and in sporadic forms malformations usually appear in one part of the body. Particularly, venous malformations cause pain, because these dilatations tend to thrombose more often (blood accumulates because it circulates more slowly and it clots) and generates a sensation of pain in the region. Venous malformations are mainly caused by mutations in the TEK or PIK3CA genes.