They can appear anywhere on the skin or inside your body, anywhere from head to toe. The venous malformation may be small or may affect an entire arm or leg. The swelling usually feels soft to touch, worsens when the affected area is lower than the rest of the body and improves when the affected area is raised above the heart. Rapid enlargement can take place during puberty and pregnancy. They are present at birth and may run in families. Some genetic mutations are known to cause venous malformations. If the venous malformation is deep in the muscle, it may go unnoticed for years.
Condition
Venous Malformation
Pediatricians at Children's Wisconsin treat children with venous malformations, which occur when a child's veins are thinner and more open (dilated) than normal.
Veins are blood vessels that carry low-pressure blood from the tissues back to the heart. A venous malformation occurs when veins in a part of the body are formed abnormally before birth. The malformed veins are usually missing muscle in their walls, causing them to gradually expand or enlarge and form masses or areas of swelling. When the major veins are affected, their valves may not function, causing venous insufficiency. When the skin is involved, it appears blue to deep blue/purple. Because of slow blood flow, blood clots can form in the venous malformation. The clots may be painful, and can lead to further swelling. These blood clots do not usually travel to other parts of the body.
