Venous Lakes Workup

  • Author: Claudia Hernandez, MD; Chief Editor: Dirk M Elston, MD   more...
 
Updated: Jan 23, 2012
 

Laboratory Studies

  • Blood laboratory studies are not usually indicated in the evaluation of venous lakes and other lesions of this type. Pathologic examination can prove useful in confirmation of a clinical diagnosis of venous lakes.
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Imaging Studies

  • Imaging studies are not necessary in the evaluation of venous lakes.
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Other Tests

  • Diascopy is useful for differentiating venous lakes from other lesions. Direct pressure created by a glass microscope slide causes a vascular lesion such as a venous lake to blanch as its contents are emptied. Sometimes, blood may not be completely emptied with diascopy, but a color change ensues. Cherry angiomas and neoplasms (ie, basal cell carcinoma or nodular melanoma) do not change color with diascopy.
  • Epiluminescence techniques such as dermoscopy also can be used to differentiate vascular lesions (eg, venous lake) from melanocytic neoplasms. A venous lake observed under the dermatoscope has a homogenous reddish-blue to reddish-black color and no pigment network structures.
  • A biopsy is indicated if the diagnosis of venous lakes remains in doubt.
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Procedures

  • Punch or shave biopsy can be used to obtain a specimen from the venous lake for pathologic confirmation of diagnosis.
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Histologic Findings

In venous lakes, a single large dilated space or several interconnecting dilated spaces characteristically are observed in the superficial dermis. The dilated channels have very thin walls that are lined by a single layer of flattened endothelium and supported by a thin layer of fibrous connective tissue.

Usually, no smooth muscle or elastic tissue is found in the vessel wall. In rare cases, a thin and noncircumferential area suggestive of smooth muscle can be found instead of the fibrous tissue. Solar elastosis and other evidence of sun damage usually are found in the adjacent dermis.

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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Claudia Hernandez, MD  Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology, University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine

Claudia Hernandez, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, Chicago Dermatological Society, Chicago Medical Society, Dermatology Foundation, National Hispanic Medical Association, and Society for Investigative Dermatology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Timothy McCalmont, MD  Director, UCSF Dermatopathology Service, Professor of Clinical Pathology and Dermatology, Departments of Pathology and Dermatology, University of California at San Francisco; Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Cutaneous Pathology

Timothy McCalmont, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Medical Association, American Society of Dermatopathology, California Medical Association, College of American Pathologists, and United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology

Disclosure: Apsara Consulting fee Independent contractor

Richard P Vinson, MD  Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Dermatology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Paul L Foster School of Medicine; Consulting Staff, Mountain View Dermatology, PA

Richard P Vinson, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, Association of Military Dermatologists, Texas Dermatological Society, and Texas Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Rosalie Elenitsas, MD  Herman Beerman Associate Professor of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine; Director, Penn Cutaneous Pathology Services, Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania Health System

Rosalie Elenitsas, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology and American Society of Dermatopathology

Disclosure: Lippincott Williams Wilkins Royalty Textbook editor; DLA Piper Consulting fee Consulting

Catherine M Quirk, MD  Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania

Catherine M Quirk, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha and American Academy of Dermatology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Dirk M Elston, MD  Director, Ackerman Academy of Dermatopathology, New York

Dirk M Elston, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Additional Contributors

The authors and editors of eMedicine gratefully acknowledge the contributions of previous authors, Jining Wang, MD, and Kim Wang, MD, to the development and writing of this article.

References

  1. Bean WB, Walsh JR. Venous lakes. AMA Arch Derm. Nov 1956;74(5):459-63. [Medline].

  2. Ah-Weng A, Natarajan S, Velangi S, Langtry JA. Venous lakes of the vermillion lip treated by infrared coagulation. Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg. Jun 2004;42(3):251-3. [Medline].

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  4. Kuo HW, Yang CH. Venous lake of the lip treated with a sclerosing agent: report of two cases. Dermatol Surg. Apr 2003;29(4):425-8. [Medline].

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  9. Landthaler M, Haina D, Waidelich W, Braun-Falco O. Laser therapy of venous lakes (Bean-Walsh) and telangiectasias. Plast Reconstr Surg. Jan 1984;73(1):78-83. [Medline].

  10. Ross BS, Levine VJ, Ashinoff R. Laser treatment of acquired vascular lesions. Dermatol Clin. Jul 1997;15(3):385-96. [Medline].

  11. Roncero M, Canueto J, Blanco S, Unamuno P, Boixeda P. Multiwavelength Laser Treatment of Venous Lakes. Dermatol Surg. Nov 3 2009;[Medline].

  12. Bekhor PS. Long-pulsed Nd:YAG laser treatment of venous lakes: report of a series of 34 cases. Dermatol Surg. Sep 2006;32(9):1151-4. [Medline].

  13. Jay H, Borek C. Treatment of a venous-lake angioma with intense pulsed light. Lancet. Jan 10 1998;351(9096):112. [Medline].

  14. del Pozo J, Pena C, Garcia Silva J, Goday JJ, Fonseca E. Venous lakes: a report of 32 cases treated by carbon dioxide laser vaporization. Dermatol Surg. Mar 2003;29(3):308-10. [Medline].

  15. Wall TL, Grassi AM, Avram MM. Clearance of multiple venous lakes with an 800-nm diode laser: a novel approach. Dermatol Surg. Jan 2007;33(1):100-3. [Medline].

  16. Alcalay J, Sandbank M. The ultrastructure of cutaneous venous lakes. Int J Dermatol. Dec 1987;26(10):645-6. [Medline].

  17. Goldberg LH, Altman AR. Venous lakes of the ears. Cutis. Dec 1985;36(6):472-5. [Medline].

  18. Requena L, Sangueza OP. Cutaneous vascular anomalies. Part I. Hamartomas, malformations, and dilation of preexisting vessels. J Am Acad Dermatol. Oct 1997;37(4):523-49; quiz 549-52. [Medline].

 
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Venous lake on the helix of the ear.
Venous lake on the lower lip.
Venous lake of the lip. Note the apparent actinic damage of the surrounding skin. Courtesy of Albert C. Yan, MD.
Venous lake becomes inconspicuous during diascopy with a glass slide.
 
 
 
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