Giant Cystic Hygroma in a Child: A Rare Case Report and Literature Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14738/bjhr.1305.12195Keywords:
Cystic, Hygroma, Giant, ChildAbstract
Cystic hygroma is a benign congenital malformation that results in a cystic lesion, predominantly in the head and neck. Although benign, they can be a cause for concern as these cysts can cause compression and invasion of surrounding structures resulting in respiratory difficulty, dysphagia etc. Clinically these lesions are soft, non-tender, transilluminant unless complicated by infection or hemorrhage. Definite diagnosis and treatment planning is done with the help of an ultrasound, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. Here we present a case of a 2 year 10-month old boy with large swelling on the right side of neck. Complete surgical excision was achieved without any damage to vital surrounding structures. Follow up showed good healing of wound and no recurrence.
References
Perkins JA, Manning SC, Tempero RM, Cunningham MJ, Edmonds Jr JL, Hoffer FA, Egbert MA. Lymphatic malformations: review of current treatment. Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery. 2010 Jun;142(6):795-803.
Gallagher PG, Mahoney MJ, Gosche JR. Cystic hygroma in the fetus and newborn. InSeminars in Perinatology 1999 Aug 1 (Vol. 23, No. 4, pp. 341-356). WB Saunders.
Fonkalsrud EW. Lymphatic disorders. InPediatric surgery 2006 Jan 1 (pp. 2137-2146). Mosby.
Naidu SI, McCalla MR. Lymphatic malformations of the head and neck in adults: a case report and review of the literature. Annals of Otology, Rhinology & Laryngology. 2004 Mar;113(3):218-22.
Suzuki N, Tsuchida Y, Takahashi A, Kuroiwa M, Ikeda H, Mohara J, Hatakeyama S, Koizumi T. Prenatally diagnosed cystic lymphangioma in infants. Journal of pediatric surgery. 1998 Nov 1;33(11):1599-604.
Mirza B, Ijaz L, Saleem M, Sharif M, Sheikh A. Cystic hygroma: an overview. J Cutan Aesthet Surg. 2010 Sep;3(3):139-44. doi: 10.4103/0974-2077.74488. PMID: 21430825; PMCID: PMC3047730.
Kaminopetros P, Jauniaux E, Kane P, Weston M, Nicolaides KH, Campbell DJ. Prenatal diagnosis of an extensive fetal lymphangioma using ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging and cytology. The British Journal of Radiology. 1997 Jul 1;70(835):750-3.
Siegel MJ, Glazer HS, St Amour TE, Rosenthal DD. Lymphangiomas in children: MR imaging. Radiology. 1989 Feb;170(2):467-70. doi: 10.1148/radiology.170.2.2911671. PMID: 2911671.
Liu DK, Ma YC, Guo XN, Zhu XS, Dong CX. Surgical treatment of cervical giant cystic lymphangioma in children. Zhonghua zheng xing wai ke za zhi= Zhonghua zhengxing waike zazhi= Chinese journal of plastic surgery. 2011 Nov 1;27(6):415-7.
RANI, D. Vimala, et al. Unusual presentation of a retroperitoneal lymphangioma. The Indian Journal of Pediatrics, 2006, 73.7: 617-618.
Emery PJ, Bailey CM, Evans JNG. Cystic hygroma of the head and neck: A review of 37 cases. The Journal of Laryngology & Otology. 1984;98(6):613-619. doi:10.1017/S0022215100147176
Barrand KG, Freeman NV. Massive infiltrating cystic hygroma of the neck in infancy. Arch Dis Child. 1973 Jul;48(7):523-31. doi: 10.1136/adc.48.7.523. PMID: 4719107; PMCID: PMC1648465.
SANLIALP, I., et al. Sclerotherapy for lymphangioma in children. International journal of pediatric otorhinolaryngology, 2003, 67.7: 795-800.
Mariorakis C, Boutouridou E, Pegios A, Magaliou V, Polydoridou M, Georgakis I, Chochliourou E, Chatziioannidis I, Anestiadou E, Papouis G (2024) Giant cystic lymphangioma as a rare cause of acute abdomen in infancy: a case report and literature review. Folia Medica 66(5): 737-742. https://doi.org/10.3897/folmed.66.e124560
KAMINOPETROS, P., et al. Prenatal diagnosis of an extensive fetal lymphangioma using ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging and cytology. The British Journal of Radiology , 1997, 70.835: 750-753.
SEASHORE, John H.; GARDINER, Linda J.; ARLYAN, Stephan. Management of giant cystic hygromas in infants. The American journal of surgery, 1985, 149.4: 459-465.
OLDHAM, Keith T.; COLOMBANI, Paul M.; FOGLIA, Robert P. (ed.). Surgery of infants and children: scientific principles and practice. Lippincott-Raven, 1997.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Prashant B Joshi, Ahmed Badawe, Kamran Khan, Saif Ullah, Ziauddin Khan, Hameed Ullah, Aimal Khan, Suhail Kazim

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.