A cystic hygroma is a sac-like structure with a thin wall that most commonly occurs in the head and neck area.
Alternative Names:
Lymphangioma
Causes, incidence, and risk factors:
A cystic hygroma is a birth defect. It occurs as the baby grows in the womb from pieces of material that carries fluid and white blood cells. Such material is called embryonic lymphatic tissue. After birth, a cystic hygroma usually looks like a soft bulge under the skin. The cyst can't be seen until after birth, and sometimes is not noticed until the person is older.
Symptoms:
A common symptom is a neck mass found at birth, or discovered later in an infant after an upper respiratory tract infection.
Signs and tests:
The following tests may be done:
Chest x-ray
Ultrasound
CT scan
Review Date: 9/26/2007
Reviewed By: Deirdre O’Reilly, MD, MPH, Neonatologist, Division of Newborn Medicine, Children’s Hospital Boston and Instructor in Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts. Review Provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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General ENT
