Special considerations in vascular anomalies: airway management.

Vascular anomalies are disorders of abnormal vasculogenesis or lymphogenesis. All types of vascular anomalies may involve the airway, causing varying degrees of upper airway obstruction as well as dysphagia and bleeding. Certain signs and symptoms may implicate airway involvement with a hemangioma or vascular malformation. It is necessary to distinguish a vascular anomaly from other airway lesions such as a congenital cyst. This is accomplished with imaging and endoscopy.