Congenital internal and external jugular venous aneurysms in a child

Internal jugular vein phlebectasia: A systematic review of therapeutic approaches in Pediatrics

OBJECTIVES

Internal jugular vein phlebectasia (IJVP) is a rare type of vascular abnormality that causes dilatation of internal jugular vein in the neck. There is presently no consensus on the most effective method of treatment for this condition, that is commonly seen in children. We conducted a systematic review of the literature reported till date to comprehend the key features of IJVP and its most effective therapeutic modalities.

METHODS

Five databases were searched until October 10, 2022 for articles of any design (including case reports) reporting IJVP in pediatric subjects. Individual patient data on demographics, clinical features of this entity and the differential diagnosis, methods of imaging, management, and outcome of illness were recorded. The quality assessment was performed using the Joanna Briggs Institute's Critical Appraisal Checklist for studies.

RESULTS

A total of 51 articles including 169 cases were retrieved and included in the analysis. Of the 169 patients, most of them were male children, and in 77% of cases right internal Juglar vein was involved. All patients had some symptoms suggestive of IJVP with most common ones being neck swelling or tenderness, and difficulty in breathing. In 90% of cases, it was observed that the neck swelling typically increases in size with Valsalva maneuver. Once jugular vein phlebectasia was clinically suspected, ultrasonography, CECT, or color Doppler flow imaging were used to confirm the diagnosis. The management of most of the cases was either conservative or surgical, and in surgery mostly ligation was performed. There have not been any cases of serious complications, therefore, according to included studies, a conservative approach is recommended with continuous monitoring. Out of the 51 studies included, most of them had low risk of bias.

CONCLUSION

Internal jugular vein phlebectasia, a rare benign condition, is most commonly found in children, and affects predominantly the right internal jugular vein. Although most patients did well with merely conservative treatment, still management of this vascular anomaly has to be on a case-by-case basis.

A Case of Phlebectasia in a Child Presenting With Neck Mass

Jugular phlebectasia is an enlargement of the jugular vein that manifests as a soft, cystic lump in the neck which can be compressed, becomes prominent on crying or straining and disappears on rest. It needs to be distinguished from laryngocele, neck cysts, and tumours that can also develop with straining. We report a case of a seven-year-old boy presenting with a cervical cystic mass. Comparable computed tomography and ultrasonography findings helped identify the pathology.

OUP accepted manuscript

Venous aneurysm of external jugular vein is very rare clinical entity. Often asymptomatic, the diagnosis may be suggested by clinical features and is usually confirmed by imaging. Surgical excision is indicated in symptomatic aneurysms and for esthetic reasons, other treatments such as endovascular treatment are being evaluated. We report a case of a 27-year-old woman with a saccular aneurysm of the right external jugular vein diagnosed by computerized tomogram angiography. The patient received successful surgical treatment.

Management of external jugular vein aneurysm: a systematic review

INTRODUCTION

Aneurysms of the jugular vein system are rare and high clinical suspicion is needed for diagnosis. External jugular vein aneurysms (EJVA) are considered innocent lesions that need treatment mainly for aesthetic reasons. The aim of this systematic review was to present current literature regarding diagnosis and management of EJVAs.

METHODS

A literature review was conducted through the Pubmed/Medline and Scopus regarding articles referring on EJVA from 2000 to 2020. Using the PRISMA guidelines (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses), 30 articles were identified, according to inclusion criteria. Demographics, clinical characteristics, etiology, diagnostic imaging, complications, treatment, and histopathological findings were recorded and analyzed.

RESULTS

Twenty-seven case reports and one case series were identified, including 30 patients and 31 EJVAs. One-third of patients (30.3%) were < 18 years old (mean age 32 years, range 1-72 years) and 54% of them were females. In 51% of the cases, the lesion was characterized as a true aneurysm after histological evaluation. The presence of a soft cervical mass was the most common clinical symptom, while Valsalva maneuver pointed out the presence of an EJVA in 66.7% of patients. Diagnosis was achieved using ultrasonography, computed tomography, or magnetic resonance imaging. Forty-three percent of the patients underwent more than one radiological examination. Twenty patients underwent surgical management. The primary indication of surgical treatment was aesthetic reasons (11/20, 55%). Thrombosis was the most common EJVA complication (11/30, 36.3%).

CONCLUSIONS

Differential diagnosis of neck mass should include EJVA. High clinical suspicion and adequate imaging are important for diagnosis. Open surgical approach is the more commonly applied therapeutic strategy.

Management of an external jugular vein aneurysm in a young patient

External jugular vein aneurysm (EJVA) is a rare clinical entity. A 23-year-old man presented with a spontaneous unilateral cervical swelling. Physical examination revealed a soft, nonpulsatile mass at the left supraclavicular region. Color duplex ultrasound combined with computed tomography confirmed the diagnosis of an EJVA. A surgical excision was accomplished without any complications during the early follow-up. EJVA mandates a high index of suspicion in the differential diagnosis of a neck mass. The open surgical approach seems to be a safe and effective therapeutic strategy.

Neck masses due to internal jugular vein phlebectasia: Frequency in Menkes disease and literature review of 85 pediatric subjects

Classic Menkes disease is a rare X-linked recessive disorder of copper metabolism caused by pathogenic variants in the copper transporter gene, ATP7A. Untreated affected individuals suffer failure to thrive and neurodevelopmental delays that begin at 6-8 weeks of age and progress inexorably to death, often within 3 years. Subcutaneous injections of Copper Histidinate (US Food and Drug Administration IND #34,166, Orphan product designation #12-3663) are associated with improved survival and neurological outcomes, especially when commenced within a month of birth. We previously identified internal jugular vein phlebectasia (IJP) in four Menkes disease subjects. This feature and other connective tissue abnormalities appear to be consequences of deficient activity of lysyl oxidase, a copper-dependent enzyme. Here, we report results from a prospective study of IJP based on 178 neck ultrasounds in 66 Menkes subjects obtained between November 2007 and March 2018. Nine patients met the criterion for IJP (one or more cross-sectional area measurements exceeding 2.2 cm² ) and five subjects had clinically apparent neck masses that enlarged over time. Our prospective results suggest that IJP occurs in approximately 14% (9/66) of Menkes disease patients and appears to be clinically benign with no specific medical or surgical actionability. We surveyed the medical literature for prior reports of IJP in pediatric subjects and identified 85 individuals and reviewed the distribution of this abnormality by gender, sidedness, and underlying etiology. Taken together, Menkes disease accounts for 16% (15/94) of all reported IJP individuals. Neck masses from IJP represent underappreciated abnormalities in Menkes disease.

Congenital jugular vein phlebectasia or aneurysma: A rare entity in prenatal diagnosis

Vascular malformations arising from the wall of the external jugular vein are rare and appeared most commonly in pediatric population. Here, we present a case of vascular malformation in the left external jugular vein diagnosed in a fetus during third trimester ultrasound. This is the first described case in prenatal diagnosis.

Pediatric jugular vein aneurysm (phlebectasia): report of two cases and review of the literature

Jugular vein aneurysms are rare vascular abnormalities that are most commonly encountered in the pediatric population. We report two separate cases in infants, both of whom presented with enlarging neck masses and were found to have jugular vein aneurysms. Diagnosis was established with duplex ultrasonography, computed tomography angiography, digitally subtracted catheter venography, and magnetic resonance imaging in one case and magnetic resonance imaging with magnetic resonance angiography/magnetic resonance venography, gray scale ultrasonography, and digital subtraction catheter venography in the other case. Both aneurysms were treated by surgical resection.

Clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of venous aneurysms

Venous aneurysms have been reported in most major veins and are often asymptomatic but can cause serious complications. Three patients with symptomatic venous aneurysms of the internal jugular vein, portal vein, and popliteal vein are presented, and their treatment and outcomes are discussed. Furthermore, presentation and management of the most frequent venous aneurysms, based on available literature, are evaluated. The literature supports conservative treatment of asymptomatic and nonthrombotic jugular, subclavian, thoracic, and visceral venous aneurysms. Surgery should be considered only for symptomatic venous aneurysms or in case of progressive expansion on follow-up. Prophylactic surgery is recommended for all patients with lower extremity deep venous aneurysms, by means of tangential aneurysmectomy with lateral venorrhaphy, because of the increased risk of pulmonary embolization. Postoperative anticoagulation is recommended for a period of at least 3 months after operative treatment.

External jugular vein aneurysm with thrombus presenting as painful neck mass: a case report

External jugular vein aneurysm with thrombosis presenting as neck swelling is a rare clinical entity and rarely encountered in routine clinical practice. We present a case of a 45-year-old female with external jugular vein aneurysm presenting as a painful lump in the neck. Ultrasound of the neck and CT angiography showed saccular dilation of the lower end of the external jugular vein with thrombosis within the aneurysm. Saccular aneurysm of the external jugular vein is very uncommon and can lead to thrombotic complications with serious consequence.

Bilateral internal jugular vein phlebectasia

Phlebectasia is a dilation of a vein. Jugular vein phlebectasia can occur in any part of the jugular venous system. It is an uncommon cause of cervical swelling in children. We report a rare case of bilateral internal jugular vein phlebectasia presenting as bilateral neck swelling in a child. We also review the literature on the clinical features of this entity and the differential diagnosis, methods of imaging, and treatment.

External jugular vein aneurysm presenting as a cervical mass

Venous aneurysms are rare causes of neck mass. Among neck veins, aneurysms of the external jugular vein are extremely uncommon. We present a case of a woman with a history of prior internal jugular vein catheterization who presented at a rural primary health care unit with a nontender progressively enlarging swelling in the right supraclavicular region. B-mode and Doppler ultrasound examination revealed a saccular dilatation of the external jugular vein, suggesting a posttraumatic venous aneurysm. Saccular aneurysms of the external jugular vein are uncommon and only rarely lead to serious complications. Access to ultrasound examination can allow early detection of this entity.

Jugular Vein Aneurysm

Jugular vein aneurysm is a rare morphologic entity. This report describes a case of an asymptomatic internal jugular vein aneurysm that presented as an enlarging mass in the neck. Diagnosis was established with duplex ultrasonography and venography. No thrombus was diagnosed in the aneurysm, but since the patient was uncomfortable with having a tumor in his neck, surgery was performed with resection of the aneurysm and lateral venorrhaphy of the jugular vein.