Case Report

OK-432 Treatment Results of Lymphangiomas in Children

  • Barlas ETENSEL
  • Sezen ÖZKISACIK
  • Günyüz TEMIR
  • Aytaç KARKINER
  • Yesim EDIRNE
  • Mesut YAZICI
  • Irfan KARACA
  • Harun GÜRSOY

Meandros Med Dent J 2006;7(3):31-34

Objective: Surgery has previously been the mainstay of treatment for lymphangiomas but has attendant problems of marked scarring, high chance of recurrence and potential tissue damage. In recent years alternative management for these lesions involves the intralesional injection of OK-432. We present our series of lymphangiomas treated in two different pediatric surgery centers with OK-432 sclerotheraphy. Patients and method: A retrospective chart review was carried out of children undergoing intralesional OK-432 therapy from two Pediatric Surgery Centers between the years 1999-2004. Results: Eight children underwent OK-432 therapy requiring mean three injections each. Six children had lesions involving in the neck, one involved axilla and one child had an inguinal lesion. Ultrasound was used to localize the major cyst for aspiration and injection. Macrocystic lesions responded well to OK-432 therapy but the response of microcystic or mixed lesions to OK-432 was disappointing. Conclusion: OK-432 appears to be a safe and effective treatment for lymphangiomas especially the macrocystic ones. Another advantage of OK-432 is absence of sclerosis or fibrosis outside the cyst in cases where surgery is later required.

Keywords: child, lymphangioma, sclerotheraphy, OK-432