Management of the head and neck lymphatic malformations in children: A 7-year experience of 91 surgical cases

Objective: To review the clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of head and neck lymphatic malformations (HNLMs) in children. Methods: A retrospective study of 91 patients with HNLMs was performed. Results: The age ranged from 1 day to 14 years, of which 82.4 % (75/91) were under 2 years old and 45.1 % (41/ 91) were diagnosed at birth. The diagnostic rates of ultrasound, CT and MRI were 80.2 % (73/91), 90.1 % (82/ 91) and 100 % (8/8) respectively. There were 2 cases of complete excision, 8 of bleomycin sclerotherapy, and 81 of subtotal resection combined with bleomycin irrigation. Followed up for 3-93 months, all 91 cases were cured. Conclusions: HNLMs mostly occur within 2 years old, and nearly half of them are present at birth. Characteristic imaging findings can assist clinicians in diagnosis and treatment plan. Subtotal resection combined with bleomycin irrigation may be an appropriate first-line therapy for HNLMs involving the vital anatomical structures.