Mesenteric and omental lymphatic malformations in children: seven-year surgical experience from two centers in China.

PURPOSE: To compare the clinical characteristics, surgical management and prognosis of mesenteric lymphatic malformations (ML) and omental lymphatic malformations (OL) in children. METHODS: This retrospective study included 148 ML patients and 53 OL patients who underwent surgical treatment at two centers between January 2016 and December 2022. Details about the patients' clinical characteristics, cyst characteristics, preoperative complications, surgical methods, and prognosis were retrieved and compared. RESULTS: No significant differences in sex ratio, prenatal diagnosis, or age of diagnosis were noted between ML and OL patients. Vomiting was more common in ML patients than in OL patients (46.6% vs. 22.6%, P = 0.002), but OL patients were more likely to be misdiagnosed (35.8% vs. 18.9%, P = 0.012). The size of the cysts in OL patients was significantly larger than that in ML patients (14.0 [4.0-30.0] vs. 10.0 [2.0-50.0] cm, P<0.001), and cysts with turbid fluid were more common in OL patients (38.0% vs. 20.6%, P<0.001). More OL patients than ML patients had preoperative hemorrhage or infection of cysts (41.5% vs. 31.8%, P<0.016). Cyst excision was performed in 137 (92.6%) ML patients and 51 (96.2%) OL patients, and the incidence of postoperative complications was lower (12.6% vs. 4.2%, P = 0.165) among OL patients. The main postoperative complications included adhesive ileus and recurrence of cysts. Additionally, more OL patients than ML patients were treated with laparoscopic surgery (69.8% vs. 39.2%, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: There were differences in clinical characteristics, cyst characteristics and preoperative complications between ML and OL patients. Cyst excision was the most common surgical method that was used to treat both ML and OL patients, and laparoscopic surgery could be a feasible surgical approach for treating OL patients with a good prognosis. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Retrospectively registered.

How to Start a Lymphatic Program.

Many patients are born with lymphatic abnormalities or are susceptible to pathology following cardiac surgery. It therefore becomes important to evaluate and treat lymphatic disorders in centers performing congenital heart surgery. Programs can make strides towards starting a lymphatic branch if appropriately equipped with proper staff, tools, and other capabilities to perform lymphatic system access, imaging, and intervention. In reality, many of these components already exist in most centers, and a successful and comprehensive program can be established by enlisting these already established services.

Management of the head and neck lymphatic malformations in children: A 7-year experience of 91 surgical cases.

OBJECTIVE: To review the clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of head and neck lymphatic malformations (HNLMs) in children. METHODS: A retrospective study of 91 patients with HNLMs was performed. RESULTS: The age ranged from 1 day to 14 years, of which 82.4 % (75/91) were under 2 years old and 45.1 % (41/91) were diagnosed at birth. The diagnostic rates of ultrasound, CT and MRI were 80.2 % (73/91), 90.1 % (82/91) and 100 % (8/8) respectively. There were 2 cases of complete excision, 8 of bleomycin sclerotherapy, and 81 of subtotal resection combined with bleomycin irrigation. Followed up for 3-93 months, all 91 cases were cured. CONCLUSIONS: HNLMs mostly occur within 2 years old, and nearly half of them are present at birth. Characteristic imaging findings can assist clinicians in diagnosis and treatment plan. Subtotal resection combined with bleomycin irrigation may be an appropriate first-line therapy for HNLMs involving the vital anatomical structures.

Management of Macrocystic Lymphatic Malformation in the Cervicofacial Region: Ultrasound-Guided Iodine Tincture Cauterization Combined With Intralesional Negative Pressure.

PURPOSE: The purpose of our study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ultrasound-guided iodine tincture cauterization combined with postoperative intralesional negative pressure in the management of cervicofacial cystic lymphatic malformation (cLM). METHOD: From January 2019 to July 2021, indocyanine green lymphography was performed preoperatively to confirm the lymph inflow, and this treatment was administered in 71 patients with cervicofacial cLM in our center. All cases were evaluated by curative effects, treatment frequency, and adverse events. The duration of posttreatment follow-up was from 12 to 14 months. RESULTS: Indocyanine green lymphography indicated at least one lymphatic inflow in each cLM lesion. Excellent resolution was observed in 87.3% of cases, and good improvement of the treated cLM occurred in 9.9% of cases, and 2 cases with fair outcomes required subsequent treatment. It is noteworthy that no case was treated more than 3 times. Some minor adverse effects, including localized itch and scar, were managed by symptomatic treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Because of satisfactory outcomes and low treatment frequency, ultrasound-guided iodine tincture cauterization combined with intralesional negative pressure represents an efficacious, safe, and feasible method for the management of macro-cLM in the cervicofacial region.

Lymphatic malformations in children: retrospective review of surgical and interventional management.

PURPOSE: Lymphatic malformations (LMs) are classified as macrocystic, microcystic or mixed. Treatment depends on their characteristics: surgery, sclerotherapy, both combined, systemic treatment or observation. This study aims to analyze the surgical and interventional management of LMs in children over the last two decades in our university hospital. METHODS: Management of children born with LMs between 2000 and 2019 was reviewed. Parameters collected were: malformation characteristics, type of treatment, symptoms, imaging, timing of diagnosis and first treatment, number of interventions, recovery rate, complications and length of stay. RESULTS: Files of 48 children were reviewed: 27 with macrocystic and 21 with microcystic LMs. There was no statistically significant difference in type of treatment except for combined treatment, more performed in microcystic LMs (p = 0.04). Symptoms, imaging, timing of diagnosis and first treatment, number of interventions and complications were not statistically significant. Overall, the number of surgeries was lower than sclerotherapies (p = 0.04). Recovery rate after surgery was higher in macrocystic LMs (p = 0.01). Complications and length of stay were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: A good rate of recovery was observed when surgery was performed, with no significant increase in complications and length of stay. A prospective study will be determinant to create a decisional algorithm for children with LMs.

First toddler mesenteric lymphatic malformation in Malaysia - A case report.

This is the first reported case of a mesenteric lymphatic malformation in a toddler in Malaysia. It is a rare benign condition with incidence of 1 in 250,000 populations. Our patient presented to us at 2 years 11months old complaining of abdominal distension for 6 months without obstructive symptoms. Clinically there was a vague soft central abdominal mass. CT abdomen done revealed a large multiloculated intraperitoneal mesentery cystic mass within the central abdomen extending to pelvis. A semi-emergency laparotomy was performed. Intra-operatively the multiloculated mesenteric cyst measured 20cm x 30cm, adherent to the small bowel beginning at 12cm from duodeno-jejunal junction. Resection of the mesenteric cyst with adherent small bowel and primary anastomosis was done. Histopathological examination revealed multiple large lymphatic channels of various sizes in the mucosa and submucosa. Our patient has no signs of recurrence and remains symptom-free after 1 year since his surgery. Surgery with clear margins of resection is the recommended gold standard based on available literature. Type of surgical resection required will depend on the type of mesenteric lymphatic malformation. An awareness of this rare pathology is required to ensure proper management is given to these patients.

[Complicated lymphatic anomaly: a clinicopathological analysis of four cases].

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological features, clinical manifestations and different diagnosis of patients with complicated lymphatic anomaly. Methods: The clinical and pathologic data of four patients with complicated lymphatic anomaly diagnosed and treated in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 2000 to December 2021 were collected and analyzed. Results: One Gorham-Stout disease case and three generalized lymphatic anomaly cases were included in this cohort. Patients' ages ranged from 7 to 32 years. There were three males and one female. The positions of biopsy included three bone biopsy and one bronchus biopsy. Microscopically, all cases showed diffuse enlarged lymphatic channels. At the same time, osteogenesis was obvious in Gorham-Stout disease case. Radiologically, cortical loss was seen in Gorham-Stout disease, and lytic bone confined to the medullary cavity presented in generalized lymphatic anomaly. The three generalized lymphatic anomaly cases also had coagulopathy, and two had effusion. Conclusions: The histologic feature of complicated lymphatic anomaly was diffuse lymphatic malformation, and the diagnosis depends on clinical and pathologic information. The treatment and prognosis of these diseases are different, and therefore it is necessary to understand their clinical and pathologic features and make the correct diagnosis.

Radiofrequency Ablation of Facial Venolymphatic Malformations: Assessment of Efficacy and Safety and the Role of Injectable Electrodes.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of ultrasound (US)-guided radiofrequency (RF) ablation in the treatment of facial microcystic lymphatic malformations (mLMs) or mixed venolymphatic malformations (VLMs) and to introduce the "induced-paralysis" technique with the use of an injectable electrode to minimize neural complications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data from patients with symptomatic facial mLMs or mixed VLMs who underwent US-guided RF ablation in 2014-2017 were retrospectively reviewed. Computed tomography (CT) and/or magnetic resonance (MR) imaging was used to localize any functional structures close to the target lesion. Treatment outcome was assessed by 4-point cosmetic grading score (CGS). Treatment outcome was compared between patients with vs without a functional structure close to the lesion and those treated with a noninjectable vs an injectable electrode. Immediate and late complications were assessed during follow-up. RESULTS: Data from 15 patients were evaluated. Initial CGS and median volume were significantly decreased at the last follow-up in all patients (from 4 to 1 and from 7 mL to 0.7 mL, respectively; P < .05). Treatment outcome differed significantly between those with and without a functional structure on CT or MR imaging (P < .05) but showed no difference between noninjectable (n = 9) and injectable electrodes (n = 6). Two cases of transient cranial nerve palsy were seen in the noninjectable electrode group. CONCLUSIONS: US-guided RF ablation is effective in patients with facial mLMs or mixed VLMs. The induced-paralysis technique with an injectable electrode has the potential to ensure technical safety without compromising efficacy.

Long Term Follow-up of Intralesional Laser Photocoagulation for Head and Neck Lymphatic Malformations Using Neodymium-Yttrium-Aluminium-Garnet Laser.

BACKGROUND: Lymphatic malformations remain a challenge for patients and plastic surgeons. Promising results have been reported using intralesional laser photocoagulation (ILP) for treating vascular anomalies. BACKGROUND DATA: The objective of our study is to review the long-term results of a large series of lymphatic malformations in patients treated with ILP. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of 190 head and neck lymphatic malformations in patients were treated by ILP with an neodymium-yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Nd:YAG) laser (1064 nm) over a period of 20 years (January 1997-January 2016). Patients' ages ranged from 10 months to 12 years and 6 months (mean, 1 year and 11 months). The patient group consisted of 98 female and 92 male patients. RESULTS: Patients were treated with an Nd:YAG laser (Sharplan Inc, Allendale, New Jersey) delivered through a 600-µm optical fiber. Laser power was set at 7 to 15 W and delivered with a pulse duration of 7 to 15 seconds. All patients demonstrated improvement as judged by clinical assessment of the reduction in lesion size (range, 65%-100%; mean reduction, 85%). One hundred fifty-two (80%) patients had a more than 65% reduction of the volume in lymphatic malformations at 3 months after 1 treatment, and 171 (90%) patients had a more than 85% reduction of the volume after 2 treatments. Excellent results were seen in 19 (10%) patients after 3 treatments. Postoperative complications were related to photocoagulation that was delivered too extensively or superficially, with resultant ulceration, infection, induration, and scarring. CONCLUSIONS: Throughout the course of our long-term study, ILP using an Nd:YAG laser is an effective treatment modality for lymphatic malformations. Complications can be avoided if the potential for harm is kept in mind.

Comparison of different therapeutic approaches for children with common lymphatic malformation.

BACKGROUND: Our study compared the outcomes of three different therapies: surgery (Group I), bleomycin sclerotherapy (Group II), and a combination of both (Group III), for children with common (cystic) lymphatic malformation (LM) at a paediatric surgical centre in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. METHODS: Medical records of patients who were treated for LM in the Paediatric Surgical Centre Universitas Gadjah Mada from January 2015 to January 2019 were reviewed. Scoring systems were used to assess the outcomes, including reduction of size, problems of aesthetics, functional problems, complications, necessity of further interventions, and interventions' frequencies. RESULTS: During the four-year study, we included 31 children, consisting of 6, 5, and 20 patients in Groups I, II, and III, respectively. The total score did not significantly differ between Groups I, II, and III (14.67±2.80 vs. 13.40±2.07 vs. 12.50±1.47, respectively; p=0.056). Group II scored better in aesthetic problems than other groups (p=0.001), Group III scored higher in necessity of further interventions compared to the other groups (p=0.026), and Group I was higher in interventions' frequencies than the other groups (p<0.001). However, there were no significant differences in reduction of size, functional problems, and complications among groups (p=0.554, 0.151, and 0.076, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: There is no significant different effect of the three modalities treatment for LM, although one group might have more beneficial effects compared with the other groups due to different scoring system parameters. Further multicentre and prospective cohort studies with a larger number of patients are necessary to establish the existence and extent of our findings.

Indocyanine green - guided laparoscopic renal pedicle lymphatic disconnection: A novel, targeted treatment for chyluria.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Chyluria, or the passage of chyle into the urine from anomalous lymphatic connections, results in a characteristic milky urine. In severe cases, it can cause signifi cant morbidity from nutritional losses and immune suppression. Although predominantly associated with Wuchereria bancrofti infections, non-parasitic cases have also been described. Traditionally, surgical treatment has involved renal lymphatic disconnection using open or minimally invasive methods, occasionally aided by pre-operative imaging techniques like lymphangiography, or by identifi cation of structures with laparoscopic magnifi cation.

Treatment of mediastinal lymphatic malformation in children: an analysis of a nationwide survey in Japan.

PURPOSE: Clinical guidelines on lymphatic malformation (LM) influencing the airway have been crafted in the Research Project for Intractable Diseases. We herein report an analysis of a nationwide survey of mediastinal LM and the therapeutic recommendations. METHODS: Eighty-seven registered cases with mediastinal involvement were analyzed with a review of the literature. RESULTS: Mediastinal LM was located more often in the upper and anterior mediastinum and was found without any accompanying symptoms in 56/87 cases. Tracheostomy was required in 23/87 cases, mostly < 2 years of age (87%). All patients who needed tracheostomy had a lesion in contact with the airway, while only 55% of those without tracheostomy had contact. Tracheostomy tended to be placed more when the longer segment of the airway was in contact with the LM. Multimodal treatments were performed in 29 patients, but the lesions remained in most cases, and chylothorax, hemorrhaging, nerve palsy, and infections were noted as complications. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with mediastinal LM, tracheostomy may be necessary, especially when the lesion is extensive and contacts the airway. Extirpation of the mediastinal LM may be the only therapeutic option, but in cases with few or no symptoms, non-surgical treatment should be considered in light of potential postoperative complications.

Normalization of Congenital Venous Stasis Retinopathy Following Sclerotherapy of a Macrocystic Lymphatic Malformation.

The authors describe, for the first time to their knowledge, a case of a congenital macrocystic lymphatic malformation of the orbit with associated venous stasis retinopathy that acutely normalized after drainage and sclerotherapy of the lesion. Prenatal ultrasound revealed prominence of the left orbital soft tissue, and at birth, the patient was noted to have unilateral proptosis, tortuous retinal vessels, and intraretinal hemorrhages in all 4 quadrants in the left eye. MRI demonstrated a primarily intraconal, multiloculated, T2-hyperintense mass consistent with a lymphatic malformation. Ultrasound-guided cyst aspiration and sclerotherapy was performed, with subsequent improvement of the proptosis and resolution of the vessel tortuosity and intraretinal hemorrhages. Although venous stasis retinopathy is usually related to central retinal vein occlusion or carotid artery occlusive disease, any entity that increases orbital venous resistance can generate retinal venous dilation and intraretinal hemorrhages, including an orbital lymphatic malformation.

[Lymphatic malformation of cervical-supraclavicular area with large mediastinal component]. / Limfaticheskaia mal'formatsiia sheino-nadkliuchichnoi oblasti s mediastinal'nym komponentom bol'shikh razmerov.

Lymphatic malformation (LM) is a benign neoplasm that consists of abnormally formed lymphatic vessels and cavities. The incidence of LM is 6% among all benign tumors. Mediastinal localization is extremely rare, only case reports in adults are described. Clinical observation of 42-year-old patient with LM of cervical-supraclavicular area and large mediastinal component communicating with thoracic lymphatic duct is presented. The first stage was thoracoscopic clipping of thoracic lymphatic duct, the second one - radical surgery through combined cervico-sterno-thoracotomy.

Surgical Excision With Bleomycin Irrigation: A Better Primary Treatment Choice for Pediatric Submandibular Lymphatic Malformations.

PURPOSE: To compare the efficacy of surgical excision combined with intralesional bleomycin irrigation with that of needle aspiration with intralesional bleomycin sclerotherapy (IBS) in pediatric submandibular lymphatic malformations (LMs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The medical records of 32 patients were analyzed. Clinical response was categorized by improvement in size as determined by imaging studies and calculations of lesion volume. An excellent response was defined as a decrease in volume greater than 90%, a satisfactory response was defined as a decrease greater than 50%, and a poor response was defined as a decrease less than 50%. In addition, the authors developed a new scale to quantify treatment outcome. This scoring system is composed of 6 parts: size decrease, esthetic problem, functional problem (eg, breathing, eating, and speech), postoperative complications, necessity for further intervention, and times of intervention. Pearson χ2 and t tests were used to compare treatment outcome between the 2 groups. RESULTS: The average age at first treatment was 2 years. Twenty-two patients underwent surgical excision with bleomycin irrigation as the primary treatment. Three of the 22 underwent 2 rounds of cyst aspiration with IBS during follow-up. IBS was performed as the primary treatment in 10 patients. All patients underwent a single surgery, and the number of IBS procedures per patient varied from 1 to 3 (mean, 1.8). In the surgical group, 72.7% of patients (16 of 22) showed an excellent response, 18.2% (4 of 22) showed a satisfactory response, and 9% (2 of 22) showed a poor response. The surgical excision group had a significantly higher excellent response rate than the sclerotherapy group (P < .05). According to the new scale, there was a marked difference between the mean values of the 2 groups (14.2 ± 2.1 vs 9.8 ± 1.8), and surgical excision with bleomycin irrigation showed better efficacy than IBS. CONCLUSION: Surgical excision with bleomycin irrigation is a better primary treatment for pediatric submandibular LMs. Cyst aspiration with IBS is a good method to treat localized recurrence.

Intraoperative Assessment of Facial Nerve Trunk Width in Early Childhood With Cervicofacial Lymphatic Malformation.

BACKGROUND: Facial nerve damage during head and neck surgery has long been an important issue. However, few publications on the gross anatomy of the facial nerve are available in the young population. The aim of this study was to provide in vivo measurements of the facial nerve trunk during lymphatic malformation (LM) resection and to determine the association between the trunk width and patient- and disease-related variables. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 11 consecutive pediatric patients (11 facial nerve trunks) who underwent cervicofacial LM resection. The facial nerve of the affected side was dissected, and its trunk width at bifurcation was measured using calipers under a microscope during the operation. RESULTS: Eleven patients younger than 6 years were enrolled. The median width of the facial nerve in patients younger than 1 year was 1.15 mm; it was 2.5 mm in those older than 1 year. Trunk width was significantly greater in patients older than 1 year than those younger than 1 year, whereas no statistical significance was found when comparing other age groups. Patient weight was positively correlated with trunk width, whereas LM grade and diameter showed no significant correlation. CONCLUSIONS: The significantly greater width of the facial nerve trunk in LM patients older than 1 year than those younger than 1 year suggests that the age of 1 may be a threshold for facial nerve hypertrophy and growth acceleration. This study provides informative in vivo data to help understand facial nerve characteristics in young patients.

Stereophotogrammetric Evaluation of Labial Symmetry After Surgical Treatment of a Lymphatic Malformation.

Lymphatic malformations (LMs) are rare, nonmalignant masses, frequently involving the head and neck, potentially causing impairment to the surrounding anatomical structures. Major LMs frequently cause facial disfigurement with obvious consequences on self-esteem and social functioning. The attempt to restore symmetry is thus one of the main goals of treatment. In this study, the authors present a not-invasive method to objectively quantify the symmetry of the labial area before and after surgical treatment of a LM, affecting a 16-year-old woman. This was done with sequential three-dimensional stereophotogrammetric imaging and morphometric measurements. The method showed a high reproducibility and supplied quantitative indicators of the local degree of symmetry, helping clinicians in its objective assessment, and facilitating treatment planning and evaluation. A quantitative appraisal of the results can additionally improve patient adherence to a usually multistage therapy.

Lymphatic Malformation Architecture: Implications for Treatment With OK-432.

PURPOSE: Herein, the authors aim to describe their findings of novel architectural types of lymphatic malformations (LM) and explain the relationship between these architectures and OK-432 treatment outcomes. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted of all patients diagnosed with a LM treated with OK-432 at the Vascular Anomalies Clinic at BC Children's Hospital from December 2002 to January 2012. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients were included in the study. Sixty percent of lesions were present by 2 years of age with the majority located in the head and neck (59%). The average number of sclerotherapy procedures was 1.4 per patient. Treatment under fluoroscopic guidance revealed 3 new LM architectures: open-cell microcystic, closed-cell microcystic, and lymphatic channel. Response to treatment was complete or good for 14/19 macrocystic and for 1/2 mixed lesions. Open-cell microcystic LMs gave a complete or good response for 3/3, which was attributed to OK-432 freely communicating between cysts. Closed-cell microcystic LM had localized cysts that did not allow OK-432 to freely communicate and were associated with partial responses, 2/2. The lymphatic channel had a partial response. There were 2 minor complications and 1 instance of recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: The identification of 3 new LM architectures expands the current accepted classification to include: open-cell microcystic, closed-cell microcystic, and lymphatic channels. The majority of complete responses to OK-432 were found with macrocystic lesions. Open-cell microcystic lesions respond better to OK-432 than closed-cell microcystic lesions, and lymphatic channels may respond to OK-432. These key architecture-response relationships have direct clinical implications for treatment with OK-432 sclerotherapy.

Doxycycline Sclerotherapy Is Superior in the Treatment of Pediatric Lymphatic Malformations.

PURPOSE: To evaluate efficacy of sclerotherapy with doxycycline versus sodium tetradecyl sulfate (STS) for treatment of macrocystic and mixed lymphatic malformations (LMs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This single-center retrospective review identified 41 children (17 boys; 24 girls; age range, 1 month to 15.4 y) who underwent sclerotherapy with doxycycline (n = 32) or STS (n = 9) for macrocystic (n = 31) or mixed (n = 10) LMs. There were 114 treatments performed, averaging 2.8 treatments (range, 1-8 treatments) per patient. Average follow-up time was 10 months (range, 1-59 months). Clinical response was deemed excellent or moderate if > 90% or > 50% of LMs resolved based on visual estimate. RESULTS: With doxycycline, 87% of patients (28 of 32) had excellent or moderate response with an average of 2.8 treatments (range, 1-7 treatments); 13% required subsequent resection. With 3% STS monotherapy, only 55% of patients (5 of 9) had excellent or moderate response with an average of 2.8 treatments (range, 1-8 treatments), and 33% required subsequent resection. Significantly fewer patients treated with STS responded well compared with patients treated with doxycycline (P = .03). Patients treated with STS had significantly longer follow-up than patients treated with doxycycline (27 months vs 6 months, P = .0001). CONCLUSIONS: Doxycycline monotherapy resulted in a high rate of excellent clinical outcomes after a few treatments without increased need for subsequent operative resection. These results support use of doxycycline sclerotherapy as primary treatment for macrocystic and mixed LMs in children.

Ethanol and/or radiofrequency ablation to treat venolymphatic malformations that manifest as a bulging mass in the head and neck.

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of ultrasound (US)-guided ethanol ablation (EA) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for treating venolymphatic malformations (VLM) of the head and neck. MATERIALS AND METHODS: US-guided EA and/or RFA were performed on 17 patients with VLM of the head and neck. Computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to locate the cranial nerves and salivary gland ducts that were close to targets, and these were avoided during the procedures. Treatment response was assessed using volume reduction and cosmetic grading scoring. RESULTS: Nine VLMs were located close to the functional structures: Stensen's duct (n=3), cranial nerve branch (n=3), or both (n=3). All patients demonstrated >50% volume reduction, except one patient with a microcystic lymphatic malformation that was abutting the facial nerve. Median cosmetic grading scores improved from 4 to 1 (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: US-guided EA and/or RFA are effective and safe treatment methods in patients with VLMs of the head and neck. Treatment selection of EA and/or RFA could be performed based on the composition of VLMs as assessed at CT and MRI.