Surgical management of a dermal lymphatic malformation of the lower extremity

Dermal lymphatic malformations are rare congenital hamartomas of superficial lymphatics characterized by high recurrence rates after excision. The standard therapy for a single lesion is surgical excision with wide margins, which reduces recurrence but can have a potentially unacceptable aesthetic outcome. A case of a 24-year-old woman with a 6 cm x 5 cm dermal lymphatic malformation on her right thigh, diagnosed by clinical history, physical examination, magnetic resonance imaging and pathological findings, is reported. The patient underwent wide local excision with split-thickness skin grafting. After pathological examination revealed negative margins, the patient underwent tissue expander placement and excision of the skin graft with primary closure. The lesion did not recur, and the patient achieved a satisfactory aesthetic result. The present case represents the first report of the use of tissue expanders to treat dermal lymphatic malformations in the lower extremity and demonstrates a safe, staged approach to successful treatment.