[Current therapeutic approach to cervicofacial lymphangiomas in children]

Twenty-four cases of cervicofacial lymphangioma treated between 1984 and 1991 are reported. The therapeutic approach is discussed. Because the therapeutic problem depends on whether or not the airways are involved, an endoscopic evaluation and a CT scan study should be included in the workup. In the five patients with limited lymphangiomas, complete surgical exeresis was feasible and yielded good results. Sclerosing injections are an alternative to surgery in this situation. In patients with pharyngeal or laryngeal infiltration or involvement of the mediastinum, the prognosis is extremely grim and surgery is still the mainstay of therapy despite the potential for recurrence due to the fact that only incomplete exeresis can be performed. Tracheostomy was required in two patients.