Management Protocol and Recurrence Patterns of Oral Venous Malformations: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Oral venous malformations (VMs) are congenital vascular anomalies that present significant aesthetic and functional challenges, particularly when located in the oral cavity. This systematic review evaluates the effectiveness of surgical excision, sclerotherapy, and laser therapy in treating oral VMs, focusing on treatment efficacy, recurrence rates, and factors influencing outcomes. The review finds that surgical excision is effective for localized lesions but carries higher recurrence rates for larger or deeper lesions. Sclerotherapy (Polidocanol) is highly effective for low-flow lesions, showing minimal recurrence, while laser therapy offers successful outcomes for small, superficial lesions, though combined therapies may be necessary for larger ones. The review also highlights the importance of lesion size, location, and depth in determining recurrence and suggests that multimodal approaches may provide the best clinical outcomes. Future research should focus on long-term follow-up, multicenter trials, and the standardization of treatment protocols to improve consistency and efficacy.