A lymphangioma is a type of swelling that affects the neck, mouth, or head. It is usually present at birth or appears within the first 2 ...Lymphangioma:WhatyouneedtoknowWrittenbyTomSeymouronJuly27,2017Whatisit?CausesandriskfactorsSymptomsComplicationsDiagnosisTreatmentOutlookAlymphangiomaisaswellingormassthatoccursmainlyinthehead,neck,andmouth.Lymphangiomasaretheresultofacongenitalconditionandareusuallyapparentatbirth,oratleastbythetimeapersonis2yearsold.Whatisit?ShareonPinterestThelymphaticsystemhelpstoeliminatetoxicorwastematerialsfromthebody.Lymphangomiaiscausedbyadisorderwiththelymphaticsystem.Alymphangiomacanaffectanypartofthebodybutusuallyoccursonthehead,neck,ormouth.Theswellingismadeupofoneormanyfluid-filledsacsthatarecausedbyaproblemwiththelymphaticsystem.Thelymphaticsystemispartoftheimmunesystemandismadeupofanetworkoftubesknownaslymphvessels.Thesevesselstransportafluidcalledlympharoundthebodyandintothebloodstream.Lymphnodespositionedaroundthelymphaticsystemhelpridthebodyofinfectionandinflammation.Lymphangiomasandcertainothertypesofmassesrelatedtothelymphaticsystemareknownaslymphaticmalformations.Theseswellingsormassesarebenignandnotassociatedwithcancer.CausesandriskfactorsShareonPinterestSomecomplicationsoflymphangiomaincludedifficultyorpainwhenswallowing,andbreathingproblems.Lymphangiomasarecausedbyabnormaldevelopmentofthelymphaticsystem,butexactlywhythishappensisunknown.Alymphangiomaisdescribedasa“somaticmutation,”meaningthatitaffectsthegenesbutisnotaninheritedcondition.Lymphangiomascanalsooccuraspartofanothercondition,including:NoonansyndromeTurnersyndromeDownsyndromeLymphaticmalformationscanoccurinbothmalesandfemalesofanyrace.Theyarearareconditionaffectingaround1in4,000newborns.SymptomsLymphangiomasusuallyoccurinonelocalizedarea.Occasionally,theycanbewidespreadthroughoutthebody.Whiletheswellingwilloftenbepresentatbirth,itmaybetoosmalltoseeatfirst.Inthesecases,thelymphaticmalformationgrowsastheinfantgrows.Theappearanceoflymphangiomascanvaryfromsmallpatc