Clinical Characteristics, Treatment, and Evolution in 14 Cases of Pediatric Orofacial Lymphangioma

Abstract

To present the largest series of orofacial lymphangioma in children published to date, analyzing the clinical characteristics and evolution of, and the treatment used for, these lesions. The clinical data from patients diagnosed with orofacial lymphangioma, who were treated from 1998 to 2008 at the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Unit, Children's Hospital La Fe of Valencia (age 0 to 14 years), were reviewed. All patients with a clinical, radiographic, or, in surgical cases, histopathologic, diagnosis of orofacial lymphangioma were included. A total of 14 patients (8 boys and 6 girls; mean age 4.6 years) were included in the present study. Of the 14 cases, 9 had been diagnosed before the patients were 2 years old and 2 of which were congenital; 8 cases were located on the dorsum of the tongue. The lesion diameter was 1 to 2 cm in 9 patients, with 1 less than 1 cm, and was larger than 2 cm in 5. For treatment, 4 lymphangiomas were monitored periodically and resolved spontaneously, 1 was treated with sclerotherapy, and 9 with surgical extirpation. After surgery, 2 patients developed a recurrence within 13 months. Most of the lymphangiomas diagnosed in children occurred before 2 years of age, were on the dorsum of the tongue, and had a mean size of 1 to 2 cm. Of those treated with surgical extirpation, 2 recurred.