Operative Management of Neonatal Lymphatic Malformations: Lesson Learned From 57 Consecutive Cases

Sirolimus-induced pulmonary hemorrhage of an infant with massive cervicofacial lymphatic malformation: A case report

Lymphatic malformations (LMs) are uncommon congenital abnormalities of the lymphatic system. As more than half of these lesions develop in the head and neck, LMs can be life-threatening if associated with airway involvement. LMs necessitate a multidisciplinary treatment approach, frequently including surgery and sclerotherapy. We present a case report of a 32-week pre-term male infant with a massive cervicofacial LM necessitating delivery via ex-utero intrapartum treatment (EXIT). The patient was treated with numerous rounds of sclerotherapy, systemic sirolimus, and surgical debulking, but ultimately died at 4 months of age due to acute pulmonary hemorrhage, which may have been related to sirolimus due to the absence of any other associable organ involvement or derangement. We document the patient's clinical course and treatment regimen, highlighting the myriad modalities employed to treat these challenging lesions, and describe a potentially lethal complication of sirolimus therapy not previously described in the treatment of pediatric LM.

Pediatric bronchogenic cysts in the head and neck region: A study of 10 surgical cases and a review of the literature

OBJECTIVE

To explore the clinical characteristics and surgical treatment of children with bronchogenic cysts (BCs) in the head and neck region.

METHODS

A retrospective study of 10 pediatric patients with BCs in the head and neck region treated in Shanghai Children's Hospital during 2011 to 2022 was performed.

RESULTS

Based on their pathological diagnosis, 10 patients with BCs in the head and neck were identified. The most common location was the neck (8 patients, 80%; 2 midline neck, 6 lateral neck), followed by the ventral tip of tongue (1 patient), and the posterior pharyngeal wall (1 patient). Misdiagnosed as lymphangioma in 5 cases, cyst in 3 cases, thyroglossal duct cyst (TGDC) in 2 cases and congenital pyriform sinus fistula (CPSF) in 1 case preoperative. The median follow-up period after surgery was 4.68 (range, 0.67-9.25) years. All 10 patients underwent complete resection without recurrence or other complications.

CONCLUSIONS

Although extremely rare, BCs should be considered in the differential diagnosis of midline and lateral neck masses or intraoral cysts in children. Surgical excision is recommended in BCs, and the diagnosis is definitively confirmed by histopathology.