Articles

CYSTIC HYGROMA RECONSIDERED: HAMARTOMA OR NEOPLASM? PRIMARY CULTURE OF AN ENDOTHELIAL CELL LINE FROM A MASSIVE CERVICOMEDIASTINAL HYGROMA WITH BONY LYMPHANGIOMATOSIS

Authors: CA Bowman ( ) , MH Witte ( ) , CL Witte ( ) , DL Way ( ) , RB Nagle ( ) , JG Copeland ( ) , CC Daschbach ( )

Abstract

A young woman presented with massive enlargement of a giant cervicomediastinal cystic hygroma, which communicated in part with the thoracic duct and was associated with generalized bony lymphangiomatosis. Modern imaging and sophisticated intraoperative physiologic monitoring made one-stage resection feasible. Tissue culture of explants of the hygroma yielded a primary endothelial cell line still surviving after 18 months, which, like the cyst-lining endothelium in the original resected specimen, reacted positively for Factor VIII-associated antigen. These findings, in conjunction with the histologic picture, support the notion that cystic hygroma represents an expanding proliferating endothelial growth process and not simply a sequestered lymphatic receptacle.

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How to Cite: Bowman, C. , Witte, M. , Witte, C. , Way, D. , Nagle, R. , Copeland, J. & Daschbach, C. (1984) “CYSTIC HYGROMA RECONSIDERED: HAMARTOMA OR NEOPLASM? PRIMARY CULTURE OF AN ENDOTHELIAL CELL LINE FROM A MASSIVE CERVICOMEDIASTINAL HYGROMA WITH BONY LYMPHANGIOMATOSIS”, Lymphology. 17(1).