Abstract
A 28-year-old man came to the hospital on October 7, 1971 with a chief complaint of a swelling in the left submandibular region. He first noted the swelling in June, 1970 and underwent tonsillectomy at a surgical clinic resulting in a decrease of the swelling. The swelling, however, started to increase again in May, 1971. The patient had experienced neither tenderness or sensation of heat in the lesion throughout the entire course. Either his family history or past history was noncontriburory.
Physical examination revealed a well-developed, well-nourished man without any remarkable signs either in the respiratory or circulatory system. A diffuse, soft swelling of hen's egg size was found in the left submandibular region. The swelling was ill-demarcated and definitely undulated. There was neither spontaneous pain or tenderness in the lesion. Blood study and urinalysis were negative.
On surgery found was a dark-blue cyst of hen's egg size with an extremely thin wall medianly to the left submandibular gland under the thyrohyoid muscle. The wall of the cyst was torn during the surgical procedure, resulting in outflow of viscid yellowish-brown fluid. Histologic diagnosis of congenital cystic lymphangioma of the neck was established.
Since its complete removal was not feasible, radiotherapy of 600 R by a linear accelerator was given postoperatively. The patient has taken a favorable course after surgery and shown so far no sign either of infection or recurrence.
