ABSTRACT

Cystic hygroma (CH) also known as macrocystic lymphatic malformation is a well- recognized lesion in a pediatric patient, mostly under 2 years of age. This lesion is rarely seen in adults with only about 150 cases on record. Most of them are multilocular with infiltrative nature, unilocular CH being a rare entity. This lesion can occur in any part of body, having lymphatics but the most common site is neck region. In adults, CH is a diagnostic challenge because of its rarity and difficulty in differentiating it from other cystic lesions in the region. Multiple diagnostic modalities are taken into consideration before giving the final diagnosis. The gold standard is the histopathology. Surgical removal of lesion remains the preferred treatment for adult CH, but because of its multilocular, invasive nature, and proximity to the vital structures in the head and neck makes its surgery quite a challenging task. We present a case of adult-onset unilocular cervical CH with a detailed review of the literature highlighting different aspects of this disease process.

Keywords: Cervical Cystic hygroma, Head & Neck, Lymphatic malformation, lymphangioma