"Occult cutaneous lymphangiectasis": an unusual case of cutaneous lymphangioma

Abstract

An unusual case of cutaneous lymphatic abnormality is described and named as "occult cutaneous lymphangietasis". A 26-year-old man had noticed pigmented maculae in the left inguinofemoral region and waist, which had gradually increased in number for as long as he could remember. The peculiar distribution of the eruptions and their transient saccular dilatation due to infection suggested that they were of lymphatic origin. Lymphangiography showed the presence of dilated lymphatics in the left inguinofemoral area and correspondence of the distribution of dermal backflow with the locations of the pigmented maculae. The histology is consistent with a diagnosis of lymphangioma. We could find no other reports of cases of cutaneous lymphangioma featuring pigmented maculae as the sole manifestation, although whether the pigmentation is an original clinical feature of this type of lymphatic abnormality is still an open question.