DOI: 10.36347/sasjs.2018.v04i09.005

Pages: 179-182

Cystic lymphangioma of the parotid gland is an uncommon congenital lymphatic malformation that rarely appears in adults; it’s usually detected in the first two years of life. We report and discuss two cases of intra-parotid cystic lymphangioma that occurred in children. A young boy of 12 years old and a seven-year girl were admitted in our unit because of an indolent and renitent isolated mass occupying parotid region. The diagnostic of an intra-parotid cystic lymphangioma was clinically advocated on echographic and CT imaging findings and then definitely proven after histopathologic studies of the removed tumour. A total parotidectomy was made, removing the entire tumour. The parotid localization of cystic lymphangioma makes their surgical management difficult because of the development of lymphangioma between the branches of the facial nerve. The question of the benefit / risk ratio makes the therapeutic decision more complex because the aggressiveness of the radical tumour resection encounters a benign tumoral origin. It opposes two fundamental principles, first that of being radical on the tumour which is very recurrent and on the principle of remaining functional while preserving the function of the facial nerve.