Redenbacher, in 1828, first described cystic hygroma which he termed ranula congenita.
There are many debation on the development of lymphatic system and cystic hygroma with centrifugal theory by Sabin and centripetal theory by Huntington.
Bill et al believed that there is no sharp dividing line between the lymphangioma simplex, cavernous lymphangioma and cystic hygroma, which were determined by the nature of surrounding
tissues.
Cystic hygroma is comparatively rare disease with benign over growth of lymphatic vessels presented at birth or early in childhood and usually located in the neck, and sometimes so large and diffuse that adequate therapy is difficult.
We presented clinical feature management and statistic results with the review of 45 patient examined in S.N.U.H. and literature.
Following result was obtained.
1) Male is more affected than female with 2.7 1 in lymphangioma and 1.4 : 1 in cystic hygroma.
2) 50 percent of cystic hygroma was noted between the age of 0 to 2 with relative diffuse distribution of age and most of lymphangioma was noted between the age of 5 to 10.
3) The neck was the most commonly involved site of cystic hygroma, followed by trunk, extremities and head, but in lymphangioma the head is the most common site especially in the tongue.
4) Cystic hyproma is 3 times more frequent than lymphangioma.
5) Complete surgical removal is believed the choice of treatment in cystic hygroma.
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