Cystic hygroma is a fluid-filled sac that forms in a baby’s head or neck due to a blockage in the lymphatic system. This disorder can be detected during pregnancy or shortly after the baby is born.
Learn the causes, signs or symptoms and how to treat them in this article.
What is Cystic Hygroma?
LaunchWebMD, cystic hygroma is a rare type of abnormal cyst growth that can appear under the skin of a baby’s scalp or neck. This cyst is a fluid-filled sac that can consist of one or more and tends to grow larger over time.
This disorder usually develops while the baby is still in the womb – it can also appear after birth – because the baby’s lymphatic system is blocked as it grows. The lymphatic system is a network of organs that help move lymph fluid (a watery fluid filled with white blood cells) throughout the body via the bloodstream and circulatory system to remove waste and toxins.
These cystic sacs usually form between the 9th and 16th week of pregnancy. Only 1 in 8,000 babies are born with this type of cyst, and some may also have certain birth defects.
So if your baby hascystic hygroma, your doctor may suggest tests to check for other problems, including chromosomal abnormalities . Chromosomes are the cells that hold DNA, and when large portions of them are missing or damaged, serious medical complications can occur. These chromosomal abnormalities will appear if the cystic hygroma disappears by the 20th week of pregnancy.
However, some babies born with cystic hygroma are perfectly healthy.
Sometimes these cysts go away on their own. But if they don’t, it’s important for your baby to have surgery to remove the cystic hygroma to prevent it from harming nearby areas, becoming infected, or causing discomfort to your baby as they grow.
If a cystic hygroma is discovered during pregnancy, it can increase the risk of miscarriage and can even be life-threatening.
Symptoms or Signs
Symptoms of cystic hygroma vary based on the size and location of the cyst. ReportingCleveland Clinic ,Symptoms include:
- Lumps under the skin.
- The skin over the cyst is blue.
- When pressed, the texture is soft.
- They most often appear on the neck, but can form anywhere on the body.
- They range in size from a grapefruit to a grapefruit and can increase in size as the baby grows.
Severe symptoms of cystic hygroma include:
- Physically damaging body parts.
- Bone or organ damage.
- The child has difficulty eating.
- Difficulty breathing (airway obstruction).
- Experiencing bleeding.
- An infection has occurred.
If cystic hygroma is detected during pregnancy, there is a risk of miscarriage or stillbirth due to complications from the cyst affecting the development and growth of the fetus. This is because the cyst can cause the fetus’ body to have excess fluid (hydrops) which can result in premature death.
Causes of Cystic Hygroma
There are several factors that contribute to the formation of cystic hygroma, namely environmental and genetic factors – this is the most common cause. In fact, chromosomal abnormalities account for 50 percent of these cases.
Genetic conditions that cause cystic hygromas include:
- Turner syndrome , is a condition in which a female is missing part or all of her X chromosome. This can cause changes in appearance, and problems with her heart and fertility.
- Noonan Syndrome . People with Noonan syndrome may have unusual facial features, short stature, heart problems, bleeding problems, bone abnormalities, and many other symptoms.
- Trisomy 13 , 18, or 21. This condition causes the fetus to develop an extra set of chromosomes, resulting in a variety of birth defects, including intellectual disability.
Other causes may include:
- Viral infections transmitted to the fetus during pregnancy
- Drug or alcohol use during pregnancy
Cystic hygromas can also occur without a known cause.
Frequency of Occurrence
According to The Fetal Medicine Foundation, reporting fromMedical News Today, cystic hygromas affect 1 in 800 pregnancies and 1 in 8,000 live births. According to the Cleveland Clinic, they account for only 6 percent of all noncancerous (benign) tumors in childhood.
In 80 percent of cases, cystic hygromas appear on the face, including the head, neck, mouth, cheeks, or tongue. In addition, this disorder can also grow in other areas of the body, including the armpits, chest, legs, buttocks, and groin. It is even possible that more than one growth will grow over time.
Cystic hygromas that are present at birth or develop after birth are usually benign, meaning they are not dangerous. However, these lumps can be destructive, grow very large, and affect a child’s breathing and swallowing ability.
Cystic hygroma generally attacks children, in adults cases are very rare.
Diagnosis of Cystic Hygroma
Diagnosiscystic hygromausually done before the child reaches 2 years of age. During pregnancy, a cystic diagnosis may be made through routine prenatal ultrasound. A blood test to help confirm the diagnosis and to detect alpha-fetoprotein is done between 15 and 20 weeks of gestation.
If prenatal testing shows that a child has an abnormal number of chromosomes, the doctor will likely diagnose him withcystic hygromaand the doctor will monitor the development of the fetus carefully to ensure it is healthy.
After your baby is born, a physical examination of the cyst, along with an X-ray, ultrasound or MRI will help your doctor confirm the diagnosis and create a treatment plan that is appropriate for your child’s condition.
Handling
Each child with cystic hygroma receives different treatment depending on their condition. If possible, the doctor’s goal in treating the cyst is to remove it, which may include:
- Surgery to remove the cyst.
- Draining fluid from the cyst (percutaneous drainage).
- Changing the route of cyst fluid throughout the body (sclerotherapy).
- Removing cysts with laser (laser therapy).
- Reducing the size of the cyst (radiofrequency ablation).
In some cases, no treatment is needed because the cyst can disappear on its own. However, in some cases, the cyst can return after treatment if there is damage to the lymphatic system. Or, if part of the cyst is left behind, there is a 15 percent chance that the cystic hygroma will return.
Possible Complications
One of the treatment optionscystic hygromais sclerotherapy. During sclerotherapy, a specialist injects bleomycin (a chemotherapy agent) which functions to shrink the growth of the cyst. However, there is still a possibility that the cystic hygroma will grow back.
Operation to removecystic hygromausually performed when the child is slightly older. However, surgery can cause significant scarring. Also, surgical removal can cause damage to nerves, arteries, blood vessels, and structures near the cystic hygroma.
Perlakukan kista anak Anda seperti luka, terutama jika bayi baru saja sembuh dari operasi. Ada risiko infeksi dengan pengobatan apa pun, jadi pantau higroma kistik dan pastikan tidak keluar nanah bening atau kuning, berubah warna atau ukuran atau hangat atau lembut saat disentuh. Hubungi layanan medis jika Anda mencurigai si kecil terkena infeksi.
Treat your child’s cyst like a wound, especially if your baby has just recovered from surgery. There is a risk of infection with any treatment, so monitor the cystic hygroma and make sure it is not leaking clear or yellow pus, changing color or size, or is warm or tender to the touch. Call your healthcare provider if you suspect your little one has an infection.
Cystic hygroma during pregnancy can cause you to produce too much or too little amniotic fluid, which can then harm the baby in the womb – often leading to miscarriage. Babies born withcystic hygromacan have other complications, such as:
- A mass (cyst) may block the baby’s throat.
- The baby may have facial deformities.
- Cysts can cause a skin infection called cellulitis.
- Surgery to remove it can cause problems including nerve damage and severe bleeding.
- Cystic hygromas can grow back.
Prevention
It is difficult to preventcystic hygromabecause the cause is unknown until now. However,ParentsYou can take steps to ensure that your developing baby in your womb is always healthy by:
- Undergo genetic testing by consulting a medical professional before becoming pregnant to understand the risks of having a child with a genetic condition.
- Do not smoke or drink alcohol during pregnancy.
- Attend regular check-ups during pregnancy to monitor the health of the developing fetus.
- Eat a balanced diet and stay healthy.
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Thus, Mom, the explanation of cystic hygroma. If there are family members or you or your partner who have chromosome problems, it is better for you to do a genetic test before planning a pregnancy.
Republished with permission from theAsianparent Indonesia
