Lymphangioma of the Lower Lip Mimicking a Mucocele in Children

J Dent Child (Chic). 2015 May-Aug;82(2):116-9.

Abstract

Lymphangioma is a hamartoma resulting from the proliferation of common lymphatic vessels in the head and neck area, rarely appearing in the lower lips. Its clinical presentation is a nodular mass with a pebbly surface and no defined borders formed by a cluster of slow-growing coalescing vesicles. The purpose of this paper is to present two children with a lesion in the lower lip whose clinical characteristics (single papillary lesion with a pediculated base, same color and consistency of the surrounding mucosa, and negative result for diascopy test) suggested an initial diagnosis of mucocele but were later confirmed as cavernous lymphangiomas. The clinical and microscopic characteristics of the lesions are discussed as well as the differential diagnosis and the treatment approach. These cases reinforce the importance of always performing a confirmatory histopathological analysis, even for lesions with typical clinical features.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Biopsy
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lip Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Lip Neoplasms / surgery
  • Lymphangioma / diagnosis*
  • Lymphangioma / surgery
  • Male
  • Mucocele / diagnosis