Introduction:

Cystic lymphangioma is a rare benign tumor of the lymphatic system that usually affects infants. The ideal therapeutic option is surgical removal.

Objective:

Systematize essential contents related to the diagnosis and treatment of cystic lymphangioma.

Methods:

The search and analysis of information was carried out over a period of 10 years (2010-2020). The keywords "cystic lymphangioma" and "cystic congenital lymphatic malformation" were used in Spanish and English. The bibliographical review was carried out in a total of 62 articles published in the databases and electronic scientific health libraries: PubMed, Google Scholar, Pubmed, Medline, Virtual Library in Health, LILACS and SciELO, through the search and reference manager called EndNote; of these, 50 that were important to the objective of the review were selected.

Results:

The information was structured in the following aspects: synonym and historical backgrounds, epidemiology, classification, pathogenesis, essential bases for diagnosis, treatment, complications and prognosis. Therapeutic disputes were identified, and images of infants diagnosed and treated by the author in her medical collaboration in Angola in 2018 were shown.

Conclusions:

The essential bases for the diagnosis and treatment of cystic lymphangioma are systematized, so that the general surgeon who, in his-her professional performance, provides surgical medical assistance to infants outside Cuba is informed on the specificities of this lymphatic tumor. Its full surgical resection is also revealed as feasible to prevent recurrence, disability and to improve the quality of life of the affected person.

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