Health Encyclopedia

Hemangioma excision

Definition

Hemangioma excision is surgery to remove a noncancerous blood vessel growth.

Alternative Names

Birthmark excision

Description

The procedure is done while you are under general anesthesia (deep asleep and pain-free).

The surgeon will remove the hemangioma. If the hemangioma was large, the site may be covered with a skin graft.

Indications

This procedure may be used to remove large hemangiomas that cause symptoms or are disfiguring.

Risks

The risks for any anesthesia are:

Reactions to medications
Problems breathing

The risks for any surgery are:

Bleeding
Infection
Scarring

Expectations after surgery

Cosmetic improvements depend on the size and location of the lesion and the surgeon's skill. Generally, the long-term outlook is quite good.

Convalescence

The hospital stay will depend on the extent of surgery. Complete healing may take up to 6 weeks.

Review Date:7/25/2007
Reviewed By:Robert A. Cowles, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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