Retrospective clinical analysis of 34 cases with fibro-adipose vascular anomaly on the lower extremities

Objective To define a new subtype of vascular anomaly, named fibro-adipose vascular anomaly(FAVA)and to discuss the methods of diagnosis and treatment in order to decrease the misdiagnosis rate and improve the recovery rate. Methods From Jan. 2011 to Dec. 2015, 34 cases with FAVA on the lower extremities received surgical treatment in our center. The clinical data were collected to summarize the imaging and pathological characteristics for diagnosis. Results The misdiagnosis rate was 76.5%(26/34) in all these 34 patients. The cure rate was 100% after operation. The patients were followed-up for 1-3 years(average, 19 months) with normal function and no recurrence. Conclusions FAVA is usually misdiagnosed as hemangioma or vascular malformation. The disease should be well defined to help the diagnosis and treatment. Surgical excision is one of the optional treatments. Key words: Fibro-adipose vascular anomaly; Vascular anomaly; Venous malformation; Misdiagnosis; Reconstructive surgical procedures