New Treatment for Cystic Lymphangiomas of the Face and Neck

Abstract

Cystic lymphangioma is a congenital malformation occurring most frequently in the necks of infants and young children. It is histologically benign, but the lesion can extend deep into the tissue. Thus, surgical treatment is often difficult. In recent years, OK-432 sclerotherapy has become the first-line therapy for cystic lymphangioma, and many reports have discussed its effectiveness. However, it is difficult to achieve a complete response to OK-432 in polycystic cases and cases with small cystic areas, and it is sometimes ineffective. In the current study, we performed a new combination therapy on 5 cases of cystic lymphangioma of the face and neck. In this combination therapy, we ruptured the cyst wall of lymphangioma using a liposuction device and subsequently used OK-432 to induce inflammation and to cause adhesion of cyst walls. The combination therapy produced very good results. None of the patients had any major complication or recurrence. All patients had lymphangiomas that markedly reduced in size. This new method can be performed regardless of the cyst type of lymphangioma and is thought to be a useful therapy.