LYMPHANGIOMA OF SKIN

Sixty-five cases of lymphangiomata involving skin or mucous membrane have been reviewed and found on clinical and histological grounds to fall into 3 groups. “Classical” lesions of lymphangioma circumscriptum were often extensive, had a predilection for certain areas and were usually present at birth or appeared in early life. Small “localized” lesions had no particular sites of predilection and could appear for the first time at any age. A small number of lesions with a characteristic sponge-like histological appearance were found in areas where skin or mucous membrane was interwoven with striated muscle. A review of the results of surgery in these patients showed recurrence to be unusual after excision of “localized” lesions but to be common when an attempt was made to excise lesions of the “classical” type.