A lymphatic malformation is a clump of lymph vessels that form a growing, spongy cluster. Lymphatic malformations are non-cancerous masses. Lymphatics are ...Skiptocontent LymphaticMalformationsContactUs267-426-9188ContactUsOnlineWhatarelymphaticmalformations?Alymphaticmalformationisaclumpoflymphvesselsthatformagrowing,spongycluster.Lymphaticmalformationsarenon-cancerousmasses.Lymphaticsaresimilartoveins,excepttheycarrywater(lymph)insteadofblood.Theyarealsopartoftheimmunesystem.Lymphaticmalformationsaffectonlythelymphvessels,andresultinwater-filledcyststhatrangeinsizefrommicroscopictomacrocyststhesizeofsmallwaterballoons.Veinsandlymphaticstraveltogether,andoftenbloodleaksintothedilatedlymphatics.Thiscanresultinbloodblistersandbloodycrusts(angiokeratomas)onthesurfaceoftheskinwhichconnecttodeeperlymphaticsbelow.Whentheskinblistersandcrustsrupture,leakageofbloodylymphmaygivetheappearanceofsignificantbleeding.Thedrainageismostlybloodywaterthatdoesn’tclotlikenormalblood,whichcanbeanuisanceforparentsandpatients.Lymphaticmalformationscanalsoputpatientsathigherriskforinfections.Infections(suchascellulitis)requireantibiotictherapy.Iforalantibioticsarenotsufficient,patientsmustbeadmittedtothehospitalforintravenousantibiotics.Lymphaticmalformationsoftheneckregionwerehistoricallycalledcystichygromas.Theyoftencontainacombinationofmicroandmacrocysts.Whenpresentinnewborns,thesemalformationscancausesignificantairwayproblems.Lymphaticmalformationsofthelowerextremitiesmaybeapparentatbirthormaynotappearuntillaterinlifeasgravitybeginstotakeeffectandwateraccumulatesinthetissues.Pubertymayalsoplayaroleintheonsetofedema.Variousnameshavebeengiventotheselymphaticmalformationsofthelowerextremities,includinglymphedemapraecox,Meige’ssyndromeandMilroy’sdisease.Adominanthereditarycomponentmaybepresentduetomutationsingenesthatcontrolbloodvesselgrowthfactors.TreatmentforlymphaticmalformationsBecauselymphaticcystsmaydrainandshrinkspontaneously,conservativeobservationisareasonabletreatmentoptionwhen