Lymphangioma is a congenital malformation of the lymphatic system that expands into the surrounding tissues in a manner similar to a malignant tumor. Surgical excision has been the treatment of choice, but the results are often unsatisfactory due to incomplete resection, fluid collection and recurrences. Intralesional injection of OK-432(lyophilized incubation mixture of Group A Streptococcus pyogenes of human origin) was employed in treating 24 patients with lymphangiomas between 1992 and 1997. The method was used in 21 patients as a primary therapy, and in 3 patients for unresectable or recurrent cases as a secondary treatment. The results were excellent in 8 patients (33.3 %), good in 7 patients (21.8 %) and poor in 7 patients (21.8 %). The side effects were fever under 39℃ and local inflammation. However these symptoms subsided in a few days without serious sequelae. These results suggest that intralesional injection of OK -432 is safe and effective treatment for primary lymphangioma as well as a secondary therapy for unresectable or recurrent cases.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by  

• Lymphangioma: A 2019 Survey Conducted by the Korean Association of Pediatric Surgeons
  Jung-Tak Oh, Soo Min Ahn, Yoon-Jung Boo, Eun Young Chang, Hye Kyung Chang, Soo Jin Na Choi, Yoon Mi Choi, Jae Hee Chung, Sang Young Chung, Jeong Hong, Seok Joo Han, Yeon Jun Jeong, Eunyoung Jung, Sung Eun Jung, Dae Youn Kim, Hyun-Young Kim, In-Koo Kim, Se
  Advances in Pediatric Surgery.2022; 28(1): 1.     CrossRef
• Giant Lymphangioma of the Tongue
  Joon Pio Hong, Moo Young Lee, Eun Key Kim, Dong Hwan Seo
  Journal of Craniofacial Surgery.2009; 20(1): 252.     CrossRef