Oral lymphangioma: A review on its treatment aspects

Abstract

Lymphangiomas are hamartomatous lymphatic mutations that happen when lymphatic tissue is sequestered at few areas that not associated with lymphatic channels. Lymphatic malformations of the head and neck, additionally called lymphangiomas or cystic hygromas, are a diverse group of lesions. The majority of lymphangiomas are present at birth, with 90% developing before the age of two. As much as 75% of these malformations arise within the head and neck region and are much less frequently stated within the oral cavity. In the oral cavity, most common location is the dorsum of tongue, followed by lips, buccal mucosa, soft palate, and floor of the mouth. Clinically, they manifest as painless, slowly growing pink or yellow soft tissue masses studded with transparent cystic vesicles. In addition to biopsy, imagistic studies and needle aspiration are rucial for the affirmation of the condition. Various treatment modalities had been advocated depending upon their type, size, and involvement of anatomical structures.