Vascular tumours and anomalies, Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick

Contact

Phone: (02) 9382 1749

Location: High Street entrance, Randwick

About our service

Our Vascular Tumours and Anomalies service (V-TAC) provides a multidisciplinary one-stop service for children with vascular tumours, anomalies and birthmarks.

These are abnormalities that may affect veins, arteries, lymphatics, capillaries or a combination of any or all these. Most are congenital, which means the child was born with the problem, although some may not be apparent until later in childhood.

There are more than 60 different types, and no vascular anomaly is the same as another. Symptoms range from very little to severe.

They can involve skin, muscle and bone and, rarely, internal organs. Treatment is complex, and may involve medicines, physical therapy, sclerotherapy and surgery, along with psychosocial support.

Although vascular anomalies are not cancer, the service sits within the Kids Cancer Centre, because of shared staff and resources.

We manage the following conditions:

Haemangiomas (Please refer simple haemangiomas to Dermatology)
Other vascular tumours, including kaposiform haemangioendothelioma
Lymphoedema
Lymphatic malformations
Venous malformations
Arteriovenous malformations
Vascular anomaly syndromes
Overgrowth syndromes
Congenital abnormalities of names vessels.
Hereditary Haemorrhagic Telangiectasia

Referral process for clinicians

Our department is using Consultmed to manage referrals. The Consultmed platform allows health professionals to send e-referrals to us securely.  

We accept referrals from general practitioners and specialists.

Consultmed questions and technical support: helpdesk@consultmed.co

Upload a referral

Referral and appointment process for parents and carers

Request a referral

To make an appointment at our clinic, you will need a referral from your GP, paediatrician or specialist.

They will assess your child, discuss your concerns, and make a referral to the appropriate service. 

Track your referral

Our department uses Consultmed to manage referrals. Your referring clinician sends the e-referral to us using the secure Consultmed platform. 

Once we receive the referral, we will send you an email with your tracking information. We will update you as we process the referral and book your appointment.

To receive these updates, please ask your referring clinician to include your email on the referral. 

If your clinician has questions about Consultmed or require technical support, they can contact helpdesk@consultmed.co.

Need support?

If you need help or have questions about the referral and appointment process, please contact us on (02) 9382 1749.

Clinic information

V-TAC holds a number of specialised clinics, tailored to the needs of the children we see.

These include the multidisciplinary clinic (where all specialties are present) as well as clinics in dermatology, surgery, haematology and physiotherapy. We also hold special clinics for adolescents as well as consultative clinics with vascular surgeons.

Telehealth is available where appropriate.

Clinic times:

Multidisciplinary clinics: Every 4 weeks on Tuesday afternoons at 2:00pm
Adolescent clinics: Tuesday afternoons 2-4 times/year
Multidisciplinary review with vascular surgeons: Tuesday afternoons 2-4 times/year
Clinics for targeted therapies: Mondays and Wednesdays

Our team

Clinical team

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Cath Clarkson and Nikki Waters - Clinical Nurse Consultants

Cath and Nikki provide seamless care coordination and support to patients in the V-TAC service. Cath has spent time in the Middle East, establishing paediatric models of care in the Emergency Department, she focuses on optimising sclerotherapy schedules and clinic coordination. Nikki has previously worked in haematology/oncology front line care and the emergency department, She focuses on care coordination of children on targeted therapies.

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Fiona Willington B App Sci Phys. M App Sci Phys. Cert 1 Lymphoedema Practitioner

Fiona is a senior physiotherapist at SCH and a highly experienced member of the V-TAC multidisciplinary team. Fiona works closely with children and their families, providing expertise on measurement and use of garments, general physiotherapy and lymphoedema management.

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Kate Lenthen. B Social Work. Cert Ed Social Work. MPH

Kate is a senior social worker and a welcome addition to our team. She has many years of experience working with families at SCH and has recently been leading the Patient and Family Engagement Team at the hospital. As well as practical social help, she brings her extensive experience in providing individualised psychological support to the care of children living with vascular anomalies.

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A/Prof Susan Adams FRACS PhD

Susan is a paediatric surgeon at Sydney Children’s Hospital. As well as pursuing an interest in trauma and colorectal surgery, she established the hospital’s Vascular Tumours and Anomalies Centre in 1996. Susan’s research career began with a PhD in trauma, and she is now very involved in growing vascular anomalies research at SCH.

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Prof Orli Wargon M.Clin.Ed, FACD

Orli is Head of Department of Dermatology at Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick and Conjoint Professor at UNSW with a Masters in Clinical Education. She has been a member of the SCH Vascular anomalies multi-disciplinary team for 24 years and published widely in vascular anomalies with an interest in infantile haemangiomas. She has extensive international connections in the field, enabling the V-TAC team to tap into this expertise when required.

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Dr Naveen Somia FRCS FRACS PhD

Naveen is an adult and paediatric plastic and reconstructive surgeon. He trained in India and the UK, before completing his PhD in the USA. Dr Somia provides expertise in the area of surgical management, particularly those in sensitive areas and involving advanced plastic surgery techniques. His involvement in our team also assists in the seamless transition of our older patients to care at Prince of Wales Hospital.

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Dr Artiene Tatian FRACI, FACD

Artie is an adult and paediatric dermatologist with a special interest in rare diseases. Artiene is the Dermatological lead for Sydney Children’s Hospital Epidermolysis Bullosa service and an active member of the vascular anomalies team. His research interest includes translational gene-based therapies, early diagnosis & novel therapies. He brings these skills and a friendly smile to the team to assist our patients and their families.

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Dr Andrew Ming FRACP. FACD

Andrew trained as a paediatrician at Westmead, before pursuing further training in dermatology at The Skin & Cancer Foundation, St Vincent’s, Concord and Liverpool Hospitals, and Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick. He then obtained a Fellowship at the Children’s Hospital, Colorado. He brings general paediatric and dermatology expertise to the V-TAC team as well and advising on the role of laser therapies for some vascular anomalies.

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Dr Susan Russell FRACP

Susan is a consultant paediatric haematologist and oncologist. She trained at Sydney Children’s hospital, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London and the Children’s Medical Centre of Dallas. She leads the management of vascular tumours, and the use of novel agents to treat children with vascular anomalies, as well as treating their haematological consequences.

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Dr Melanie Jackson FRACP

Dr Melanie Jackson is a paediatric haematologist, staff specialist at Randwick and is a part of the vascular anomalies team. Melanie trained in Queensland before completing a fellowship at Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto. She focuses on the management of vascular tumours, the use of novel agents to treat children with vascular anomalies, as well as treating their haematological consequences.

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Dr Noemi Fuente-Bolanos FRACP PhD

Noemi is a clinical academic in paediatric oncology and clinical genetics. She works at KCC and CCIA and is part of the multidisciplinary vascular anomalies team, with a role in the genetics of vascular anomalies precision medicine. She trained in Spain, UK and Australia.

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Dr John Pereira FRANZCR

John is a paediatric and adult interventional radiologist at Prince of Wales and Sydney Children’s Hospitals. He completed his radiology fellowship in Sydney before undertaking a vascular anomalies interventional fellowship at Sick Kids, Toronto. John brings a high level of training and many years’ experience to the evaluation and interventional radiology management of vascular anomalies at all ages.

Non-clinical team

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Prof Loretta Lau FRACP MMed PhD

Loretta is a paediatric molecular oncologist at Sydney Children’s Hospital, with expertise in molecular oncology, precision medicine and targeted therapy. She provides precision medicine expertise to the V-TAC service, and has ensured our patients are included in the ZERO 2 Program at CCIA. This is a national program offering precision medicine to all children with cancer and vascular anomalies in Australia through a national clinical trial.

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Dr Rebecca Walsh FRACP RCPA

Rebecca is a clinical and laboratory haematologist and clinical genomicist. She works in the Randwick Genetics laboratory of NSW Health pathology which is a centre of expertise in genomics and rare diseases. Rebecca specialises in molecular haematology and its application and integration into clinical haematology. Molecular diagnosis of vascular anomalies is a particular interest in collaboration with the expertise of the V-TAC team.

Factsheets

Haemangioma (strawberry birthmark)

Browse all factsheets

Contact

About our service

Referral process for clinicians

Referral and appointment process for parents and carers

Request a referral

Track your referral

Need support?

Clinic information

Our team

Clinical team

title Cath Clarkson and Nikki Waters - Clinical Nurse Consultants

title Fiona Willington B App Sci Phys. M App Sci Phys. Cert 1 Lymphoedema Practitioner

title Kate Lenthen. B Social Work. Cert Ed Social Work. MPH

title A/Prof Susan Adams FRACS PhD

title Prof Orli Wargon M.Clin.Ed, FACD

title Dr Naveen Somia FRCS FRACS PhD

title Dr Artiene Tatian FRACI, FACD

title Dr Andrew Ming FRACP. FACD

title Dr Susan Russell FRACP

title Dr Melanie Jackson FRACP

title Dr Noemi Fuente-Bolanos FRACP PhD

title Dr John Pereira FRANZCR