Angiographic diagnosis and embolization treatment for craniofacial racemosum hemangioma

Objective:To explore the value of angiographic diagnosis and the embolization treatment of craniofacial racemosum hemangioma.Methods:Twelve patients with craniofacial racemosum hemangioma (8 men,4 women; aged 11～38; average age,24.3) underwent selective angiography and separately complete filling embolization were analyzed retrospectively.Results:Of the 12 patients who underwent selective angiography of the left and right external carotid artery, all of them obtained the correct diagnoses. Among the 12 cases, four patients were clinically cured, 6 markedly effectively, 2 effectively. The overall effective rate was 100%.By superselective catheterization, the silk segments,PVA (polyvinyl alcohol foam),gelfoam,steel coils or detachable balloons were used for the embolization of feeding arteries, including the maxillary artery (5 cases),superficial temporal artery (5 cases),facial artery (4 cases),occipital artery (3 cases) and posterior auricular artery (2 cases).One time embolization was performed in 4 cases, two times embolization in 7 cases and three times embolization in 1 case. Immediate angiographical results showed total disappearance of the supplying artery in all patients. In 5 cases with preoperative embolization, the intraoperative bleeding was decreased obviously. There were no severe complications during or after operation. Conclusion:Transcatheter arterial embolization is an effective and safe therapeutic method for craniofacial racemosum hemangioma when angiography and superselective catheterization are perfectly done.