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Updated: May 12, 2026
Isolation of Human Lymphatic Endothelial Cells by Multi-parameter Fluorescence-activated Cell Sorting
Published on: May 1, 2015
Lymphatic malformations of the airway
Teresa M O1, Scott M Rickert, Aicha Maguy Diallo
1Vascular Birthmark Institute of New York at Lenox Hill and Manhattan, Eye, Ear and Throat Hospitals, New York, New York 10065, USA. to@vbiny.org
Objectives/Hypothesis:
To characterize the anatomic distribution of lymphatic malformations of the upper airway.
Study Design:
Case series with chart review.
Setting:
Tertiary care referral center specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of vascular anomalies.
Methods:
A 7-year (2004-2011) retrospective chart review of patients with lymphatic malformations was performed at a tertiary care referral center. Patients with airway lymphatic malformations were identified. The anatomic distribution of lymphatic malformations within the airway was reviewed.
Results:
A total of 141 patients with lymphatic malformations of the upper aerodigestive tract (UADT) were studied. Of these, 15 (11%) had laryngeal (supraglottic) involvement. In all of these patients, the disease was above the true vocal folds. Seventy-four (52%) patients had involvement of 1 anatomic zone (most common was the oral cavity), and 67 (48%) had involvement of multiple zones. With regard to each zone, 105 (75%) patients had involvement of the oral cavity, 50 (36%) the oropharynx, 8 (6%) the hypopharynx, 42 (30%) the parapharynx, and 12 (9%) had retropharygeal disease (some patients had multiple zones involved). No patients were identified with glottic, subglottic, or tracheal involvement.
Conclusions:
Based on our large series, airway involvement in head and neck lymphatic malformations may occur at multiple sites above the glottis. A high percentage of these patients have involvement of the oral cavity (75%) and oropharynx (35%). None involve the glottis, subglottis, or trachea.
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