Lymphangioma is a congenital malformation of the lymphatic system. Although histologically benign, the lesion can expand into the surrounding tissues and, in rare cases, can cause life-threatening complications.
Between 1996 and 2008, 12 patients with lymphangioma in the neck visited the Department of Otolaryngology, Shiga University Hospital. Each diagnosis was confirmed using ultrasound, computerized tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging examinations. Nine of the 12 patients were treated using local OK-432 injection therapy. Complete remission of the lymphangioma was obtained in 8 cases (88%). Partial remission was obtained in the remaining treated case, and the residual mass was surgically resected. The adverse effects of OK-432 therapy included high fever (38 to 39°C) in 7 patients, severe pain in 1 patient. These effects subsided within 15 days. The three untreated patients were monitored. In two cases, the aesthetic problem resolved with an increase in body size. In the remaining case, the lymphangioma spontaneously regressed.
These results suggest that local OK-432 injection therapy is an effective treatment for patients with lymphangioma in the neck and should be considered as a primary treatment.