Cervical lymphatic malformations amenable to transhairline robotic surgical excision in children: A case series.

ABSTRACT: Lymphatic malformations are rare benign malformations that predominantly occur in the head and neck region. The advent of surgical robots in head and neck surgery may provide beneficial outcomes for pediatric patients. Here, we describe our experiences with transhairline incisions for robot-assisted surgical resection of cervical lymphatic malformations in pediatric patients.In this prospective longitudinal cohort study, we recruited consecutive patients under 18 years of age who were diagnosed with congenital cervical lymphatic malformations and scheduled for transhairline approach robotic surgery at a single medical center. We documented the docking times, console times, surgical results, complications, and postoperative follow-up outcomes.The studied patients included 2 with mixed-type lymphatic malformations and 2 with macrocystic-type lymphatic malformations. In all 4 patients, the incision was hidden in the hairline; the incision length was <5 cm in 3 patients but was extended to 6 cm in 1 patient. Elevating the skin flap and securely positioning it with Yang retractor took <1 hour in all cases. The mean docking time was 5.5 minutes, and the mean console time was 1 hour and 46 minutes. All 4 surgeries were completed endoscopically with the robot. The average total drainage volume in the postoperative period was 21.75 mL. No patients required tracheotomy or nasogastric feeding tubes. Neither were adverse surgery-associated neurovascular sequelae observed. All 4 patients were successfully treated for their lymphatic malformations, primarily with robotic surgical excisions.Cervical lymphatic malformations in pediatric patients could be accessed, properly visualized, and safely resected with transhairline-approach robotic surgery. Transhairline-approach robotic surgery is an innovative method for meeting clinical needs and addressing esthetic concerns.

Research Priorities in Lymphatic Interventions: Recommendations from a Multidisciplinary Research Consensus Panel.

Recognizing the increasing importance of lymphatic interventions, the Society of Interventional Radiology Foundation brought together a multidisciplinary group of key opinion leaders in lymphatic medicine to define the priorities in lymphatic research. On February 21, 2020, SIRF convened a multidisciplinary Research Consensus Panel (RCP) of experts in the lymphatic field. During the meeting, the panel and audience discussed potential future research priorities. The panelists ranked the discussed research priorities based on clinical relevance, overall impact, and technical feasibility. The following research topics were prioritized by RCP: lymphatic decompression in patients with congestive heart failure, detoxification of thoracic duct lymph in acute illness, development of newer agents for lymphatic imaging, characterization of organ-based lymph composition, and development of lymphatic interventions to treat ascites in liver cirrhosis. The RCP priorities underscored that the lymphatic system plays an important role not only in the intrinsic lymphatic diseases but in conditions that traditionally are not considered to be lymphatic such as congestive heart failure, liver cirrhosis, and critical illness. The advancement of the research in these areas will lead the field of lymphatic interventions to the next level.

Assessing functional status of cardiac lymphatics: From macroscopic imaging to molecular profiling.

Here we describe various techniques for visualization of the lymphatic vasculature, particularly in the heart. Addressing macro-, microscopic, and molecular levels of lymphatic organization, we give examples of how to explore the roles of specific antigens/markers expressed in lymphatic vessels and their extracellular matrix as structural and functional elements involved in various biological functions of lymphatics. Some obstacles and technical challenges related to lymphatic visualization are also discussed.

Use of Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound to Determine Thoracic Duct Patency.

The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility of using contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) evaluation to determine thoracic duct (TD) outlet patency. Nine patients referred for lymphatic imaging and intervention underwent percutaneous intranodal ultrasound contrast injection and conventional lymphangiography (CL). Eight of 9 patients had a patent TD by CEUS and CL. One patient did not have a patent TD. There was 100% agreement between CEUS and CL. These results suggest that CEUS is an imaging modality that might be as accurate as CL in determining TD patency.

Prevalence and Cause of Early Fontan Complications: Does the Lymphatic Circulation Play a Role?

Background Recent studies suggest that lymphatic congestion plays a role in development of late Fontan complications, such as protein-losing enteropathy. However, the role of the lymphatic circulation in early post-Fontan outcomes is not well defined. Methods and Results This was a retrospective, single-center study of patients undergoing first-time Fontan completion from 2012 to 2017. The primary outcome was early Fontan complication ≤6 months after surgery, a composite of death, Fontan takedown, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, chest tube drainage >14 days, cardiac catheterization, readmission, or transplant. Complication causes were assigned to 1 of 4 groups: (1) Fontan circuit obstruction, (2) ventricular dysfunction or atrioventricular valve regurgitation, (3) persistent pleural effusions in the absence of Fontan obstruction or ventricular dysfunction, and (4) chylothorax or plastic bronchitis. T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging sequences were used to assess for lymphatic perfusion abnormality. The cohort consisted of 238 patients. Fifty-eight (24%) developed early complications: 20 of 58 (34.5%) in group 1, 8 of 58 (14%) in group 2, 18 of 58 (31%) in group 3, and 12 of 58 (20%) in group 4. Preoperative T2 imaging was available for 126 (53%) patients. Patients with high-grade lymphatic abnormalities had 6 times greater odds of developing early complications (P=0.001). Conclusions There is substantial morbidity in the early post-Fontan period. Half of those who developed early complications had lymphatic failure or persistent effusions unrelated to structural or functional abnormalities. Preoperative T2 imaging demonstrated that patients with higher-grade lymphatic perfusion abnormalities were significantly more likely to develop early complications. This has implications for risk stratification and optimization of patients before Fontan palliation.

Diferenciación entre linfadenopatía cervical benigna y maligna mediante ecografía en niños / Differentiation of benign from malignant cervical lymphadenopathy by ultrasonography in children

Introducción. Las causas más frecuentes de la linfadenopatía cervical son las afecciones inflamatorias y reactivas; solo unos pocos casos representan una patología seria. El objetivo fue evaluar la relación entre los hallazgos ecográficos y el diagnóstico histopatológico. Población y métodos. Este estudio retrospectivo abarcó la linfadenopatía cervical en los menores de 20 años seguidos en nuestro centro, entre enero de 2007 y diciembre de 2016. Según los informes anatomopatológicos, se dividió a los pacientes en dos grupos: benigno y maligno. Se compararon los resultados anatomopatológicos y los hallazgos ecográficos. Resultados. Después del análisis de los resultados histopatológicos y los hallazgos ecográficos, se incluyó a 107 pacientes con linfadenopatía cervical persistente (44 casos malignos; 63, benignos). La media de edad de los grupos maligno y benigno fue de 14 ± 6,1 años y de 11,9 ± 4,8 años, respectivamente. La presencia de vascularidad hiliar fue estadísticamente significativa (p < 0,0001) en la linfadenopatía benigna, mientras que el flujo periférico y la vascularidad mixta lo fueron (p < 0,05) en la linfadenopatía maligna. No se observó una diferencia significativa en el diámetro máximo (27,3 ± 11,1 mm y 29,8 ± 12,3 mm, respectivamente), pero sí en el diámetro mínimo entre los grupos benigno y maligno (13,7 ± 7,3 mm y 18,7 ± 8,8 mm, respectivamente). Conclusiones. Este estudio sugiere que existe una relación entre los hallazgos ecográficos y de la biopsia para la diferenciación entre la linfadenopatía benigna y maligna, en especial, en el patrón vascular intraganglionar y el hilio ganglionar.

Introduction. The most common causes of cervical lymphadenopathy (LAP) are inflammatory and reactive conditions; only a small proportion have serious pathology, such as malignancy. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between USG findings and histopathological diagnosis of the cervical LAP. Population and Methods. This retrospective study comprised the cases of cervical LAP in patients aged under 20 years old followed in our center between January 2007 to December 2016. Based on pathology reports, we divided the patients into two groups: benign and malignant. Pathology results and USG findings were compared. Results. After the analyze of the histopathological results and USG findings, 107 patients with persistent cervical LAP (44 malignant; 63 benign) were included in the study. Mean age of malignant and benign group were 14 ± 6.1; 11.9 ± 4.8 years, respectively. Hilar vascularity for benign LAP was highly statistically significant (P < 0.0001) and peripheral flow and mixed vascularity for malignant LAP were also statistically significant (p < 0.05). There was not a significant difference in the maximum diameter (27.3 ± 11.1 mm and 29.8 ± 12.3 mm, respectively), however, there was a significant difference in the minimum diameter between benign and malignant groups (13.7 ± 7.3 mm and 18.7 ± 8.8 mm, respectively).Conclusions. The present study suggests that there is a relationship between US and biopsy findings for the differentiation of benign from malignant LAP, especially in terms of nodal hilus and intranodal vascular pattern.

Decompression of the thoracic duct: A novel transcatheter approach.

In patients with total cavopulmonary connections, elevated central venous pressures (CVP) have detrimental effects on the lymphatic system causing an imbalance in fluid production and drainage of the interstitium. This combination may result in life-threatening lymphatic complications including plastic bronchitis (PB), protein losing enteropathy (PLE), chylothorax, and ascites. While embolization of the abnormal lymphatics has greatly improved outcomes from these complications, alternative treatment strategies have been proposed that would result in improved lymphatic drainage while leaving the lymphatic system intact. We report two novel transcatheter approaches for thoracic duct (TD) decompression in two patients who developed PLE after completion of the Fontan procedure as part of staged palliation for congenital heart disease. In addition, one patient had severe concurrent PB. In both patients, a connection was created between a left superior vena cava (LSVC) to the left atrium allowing for a nonsurgical method to decompress the TD. This procedure resulted in significant clinical and laboratory improvement of both patients' PLE and other symptoms of lymphatic dysfunction.

Role of the lymphatic vasculature in cardiovascular medicine.

The lymphatic vasculature has traditionally been considered important for removal of excessive fluid from the interstitial space, absorption of fat from the intestine and the immune system. Advances in molecular medicine and imaging have provided us with new tools to study the lymphatics. This has revealed that the vessels are actively involved in regulation of immune cell trafficking and inflammation. We now know much about how new lymphatic vessels are created (lymphangiogenesis) and that this is important in, for example, wound healing and tissue repair. The best characterised pathway for lymphangiogenesis is the vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C)/VEGFR3 pathway. Over recent years, there has been an increasing interest in the role of the lymphatics in cardiovascular medicine. Preclinical studies have shown that lymphangiogenesis and immune cell trafficking play a role in cardiovascular conditions such as atherosclerosis, recovery after myocardial infarction and rejection of cardiac allografts. Targeting the VEGF-C/VEGFR3 pathway can be beneficial in these conditions. The clinical spectrum of lymphatic abnormalities and lymphoedema is wide and overlaps with congenital heart disease. Important long-term complications to the Fontan circulation involves the lymphatics. New and improved imaging modalities has improved our understanding and management of these patients. Lymphatic leaks and flow abnormalities can be successfully treated, minimally invasively, with percutaneous embolisation. Future research will prove if the preclinical findings that point to a role of the lymphatics in several cardiovascular conditions will result in new treatment options.

CLAPO syndrome: Effective response to treatment with oral rapamycin.

CLAPO syndrome (Capillary vascular malformation of the lower lip, Lymphatic malformations of the head and neck, Asymmetry and Partial or generalized Overgrowth) is a nonfrequent pathology. This syndrome is characterized by the capillary malformation (CM) of the lower lip, a very important clinical sign when diagnosing CLAPO. The aim of our report is to demonstrate that rapamycin could be a reliable and safe targeted therapy in lymphatic malformations (LMs). This drug is useful in reducing the LM's size before final surgical treatment. The clinical and radiological evolution of a patient with CLAPO syndrome is reported in this article, before and after the treatment with rapamycin.

Review of axillary web syndrome: What the radiologist should know.

Axillary web syndrome is common after axillary surgery, frequently affecting breast cancer patients. In this condition, patients develop one or more linear bands of firm tissue, also known as "cords", in the axilla and arm, associated with pain and limited range of motion of the shoulder and arm. Radiologists may encounter this syndrome in patients referred for axillary or upper extremity ultrasound, and should be aware of the physical examination and ultrasound findings for accurate diagnosis. However, there are currently limited articles about this syndrome published in radiology journals, suggesting that radiologists may be unaware of this entity. In this work, axillary web syndrome will be discussed, including background knowledge, incidence, clinical presentation, possible etiology, and ultrasound appearance.

[Diosmin in the treatment of venous disease: pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics (in Russian only)]. / Diosmin v lechenii venoznoi patologii: osnovy farmakokinetiki i farmakodinamiki.

The issues of absorption, bacterial intestinal metabolism and hepatic metabolism of diosmin are described. The main metabolites of the drug and the ways of their elimination are indicated. The article describes the main therapeutic targets and mechanisms of influence on the course of disease including effect on the venous wall tone and permeability, lymphatic drainage, inflammation and oxidative stress.

Morphology and Function of the Lymphatic Vasculature in Patients With a Fontan Circulation.

BACKGROUND: The Fontan procedure has revolutionized the treatment of univentricular hearts. However, it is associated with severe complications such as protein-losing enteropathy, plastic bronchitis, and peripheral edema that may involve the lymphatic circulation. We aimed to assess lymphatic function and morphology in patients with a univentricular circulation. METHODS: The functional state of lymphatic vessels in the lower extremities of patients with a Fontan circulation (n=10) was investigated using the novel technique near-infrared fluorescence imaging and compared with an age-, sex-, and weight-matched control group of healthy volunteers (n=10). The lymphatic morphology was described using T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging, and microvascular permeability was estimated by strain gauge plethysmography. RESULTS: The Fontan patients had 17% lower lymphatic pumping pressure (50±3.1 mm Hg) compared with controls (60±2.8 mm Hg; P=0.0341) and a 62% higher contraction frequency (0.8±0.1 min-1) compared with the healthy controls (0.5±0.1 min-1; P=0.0432). Velocity by which the lymph is moved and refill time after manual emptying of the lymphatic vessels showed no differences between the 2 groups. The thoracic duct was elongated 10% ( P=0.0409) and with an abnormal course in the Fontan patients compared with normal. No difference in microvascular permeability was found between the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with a Fontan circulation have an impaired lymphatic pumping capacity and morphologically changed thoracic duct. Our results indicate a challenged lymphatic vasculature in the Fontan circulation and may play a role in the pathogenesis of the complications that are seen in Fontan patients. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov . Unique identifier: NCT03379805.

Can Symptoms Differentiate Between Chronic Adenoiditis and Chronic Rhinosinusitis in Pediatric Patients.

The purpose of this article is to differentiate pediatric patients with chronic adenoiditis from those with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) based on presenting symptoms. A chart review from a tertiary care facility with pediatric patients who presented with suspected CRS from 2006 to 2014 was identified. We compared patient characteristics, clinical symptoms, duration of symptoms, and past medial history using univariate and multivariate logistic regression models. Based on recent literature, utilizing the computed tomography (CT) score, we identified those children with CRS versus those with chronic adenoiditis. Of the 99 pediatric patients included, 22 patients had diagnosis of adenoiditis and 77 had diagnosis of CRS. When purulent rhinorrhea was present with facial pain, CRS was statistically more prevalent than chronic adenoiditis (P = .017). Symptoms including cough (P = .022), rhinorrhea (P = .27), and facial pressure (P = .98) were not predictive of one diagnosis over the other. Past medical history of asthma or allergy was similar in both groups. Smoke exposure was associated with CT scores >5 (odds ratio 2.4, 95% confidence interval, 0.799-7.182). We conclude that purulent rhinorrhea in the presence of facial pain is more indicative of CRS versus chronic adenoiditis. For all other children, an adenoidectomy without the need for a CT scan can be entertained.

Vascular Leaking, a Pivotal and Early Pathogenetic Event in Systemic Sclerosis: Should the Door Be Closed?

The early phase of systemic sclerosis (SSc) presents edema as one of the main features: this is clinically evident in the digital swelling (puffy fingers) as well as in the edematous skin infiltration of the early active diffuse subset. Other organs could be affected by this same disease process, such as the lung (with the appearance of ground glass opacities) and the heart (with edematous changes on cardiac magnetic resonance imaging). The genesis of tissue edema is tightly linked to pathological changes in the endothelium: various reports demonstrated the effect of transforming growth factor ß, vascular endothelial growth factor and hypoxia-reperfusion damage with reactive oxygen species generation in altering vascular permeability and extravasation, in particular in SSc. This condition has an alteration in the glycocalyx thickness, reducing the protection of the vessel wall and causing non-fibrotic interstitial edema, a marker of vascular leak. Moreover, changes in the junctional adhesion molecule family and other adhesion molecules, such as ICAM and VCAM, are associated with an increased myeloid cells' extravasation in the skin and increased myofibroblasts transformation with further vascular leak and cellular migration. This mini-review examines current knowledge on determinants of vascular leak in SSc, shedding light on the role of vascular protection. This could enhance further studies in the light of drug development for early treatment, suggesting that the control of vascular leakage should be considered in the same way that vasodilation and inflammation reduction, as potential therapeutic targets.

Mesenteric organ lymphatics and inflammatory bowel disease.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a complex gastrointestinal disorder and its etiology is unclear yet. Current theory in IBD is focused on genetics, immunity and intestinal microbes. Emerging clinical evidence and experimental results suggest that morphologic abnormalities and dysfunction of mesenteric lymphatics may have potential roles in the pathogenesis and disease course of IBD. In this review, we summarize the findings of specific investigations of the lymphatics and explore its role in IBD.

Lymphatic dysfunction in critical illness.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The essential role of the lymphatic system in fluid homeostasis, nutrient transport, and immune trafficking is well recognized; however, there is limited understanding of the mechanisms that regulate lymphatic function, particularly in the setting of critical illness. The lymphatics likely affect disease severity and progression in every condition, from severe systemic inflammatory states to respiratory failure. Here, we review structural and functional disorders of the lymphatic system, both congenital and acquired, as they relate to care of the pediatric patient in the intensive care setting, including novel areas of research into medical and procedural therapeutic interventions. RECENT FINDINGS: The mainstay of current therapies for congenital and acquired lymphatic abnormalities has involved nonspecific medical management or surgical procedures to obstruct or divert lymphatic flow. With the development of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance lymphangiography, image-directed percutaneous intervention may largely replace surgery. Because of new insights into the mechanisms that regulate lymphatic biology, pharmacologic inhibitors of mTOR and leukotriene B4 signaling are each in Phase II clinical trials to treat abnormal lymphatic structure and function, respectively. SUMMARY: As our understanding of normal lymphatic biology continues to advance, we will be able to develop novel strategies to support and augment lymphatic function during critical illness and through convalescence.