Cervical Cystic Hygroma in an Older Adult: A case study

Abstract

Cystic hygromas are very uncommon malformations in adults. In most of the cases, they present as a painless, fluctuant swelling, usually located in the neck region. They tend to grow extensively if not removed. Cystic hygromas can range from 1 mm to several centimeters in size and are filled with clear- to straw-colored fluid. Surgical treatment remains the gold-standard treatment for these tumors. In some cases they can be misdiagnosed with branchial cysts, swollen lymph nodes or other pathologies. When this malformation is present in the prevertebral fascia its surgical treatment is challenging, and some Authors advise its conservative treatment, which is in a great risk of its reoccurence. Because of potential malignant transformation in some percentage of branchial cyst cases, a similar situation was suspected. The present report describes a case of cystic hygroma of the left side of the neck in a 92-year-old female adult and its clinical, radiologic and operative features.