ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Pediatr.

Sec. Pediatric Surgery

Volume 13 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fped.2025.1614095

Novel technique of sclerotherapy for superficial lymphatic malformation

Provisionally accepted
Hidehito UsuiHidehito Usui*Masato ShinkaiMasato ShinkaiSatoshi TanakaSatoshi TanakaRento MorishimaRento MorishimaKazuki ShiraneKazuki ShiraneTakafumi KondoTakafumi KondoKyoko MochizukiKyoko MochizukiNorihiko KitagawaNorihiko Kitagawa
  • Kanagawa Children's Medical Center, Yokohama, Japan

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Purpose: Superficial lymphatic malformation (SLM), previously known as lymphangioma circumscriptum, is characterized by skin lesions that sometimes require interventional treatment. However, an effective treatment has yet to be established. We proposed an effective sclerotherapy procedure based on the pathophysiology of SLM.Methods: Seven patients with SLM who were treated at our hospital between April 2015 and April 2024 were retrospectively enrolled. To maximize the treatment effects, sclerotherapy with bleomycin targeting the SLM and LM deep beneath the SLM was performed.Results: Of the seven patients, four were females, and three were males. The SLM sites were mucosal lesions in four cases and skin lesions in three cases. The median age at the first sclerotherapy was 10 (1-18) years. A median of one course (1-3) of sclerotherapy resulted in a marked reduction of SLM lesions on gross evaluation to the satisfaction of the patient. The median observation period was 451 (59-2901) days. No serious complications occurred, except for transient vomiting in one patient and temporary skin pigmentation in two patients. No patient experienced recurrence requiring retreatment.Our study suggests that sclerotherapy for the SLM and LM deep beneath the SLM may be an effective treatment for SLM.

Keywords: Superficial lymphatic malformation, Lymphatic malformation, Sclerotherapy, Bleomycin, Vascular Malformations, Pediatric Surgery

Received: 18 Apr 2025; Accepted: 13 Jun 2025.

Copyright: © 2025 Usui, Shinkai, Tanaka, Morishima, Shirane, Kondo, Mochizuki and Kitagawa. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

* Correspondence: Hidehito Usui, Kanagawa Children's Medical Center, Yokohama, Japan

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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