We report a case of lymphangioma circumscriptum of the tongue, a very rare site of occurrence, which was successfully managed with intralesional bleomycin therapy.

We present a case report and review of available literature regarding lymphangioma circumscriptum of the tongue and the role of bleomycin therapy.

The patient was a 19-year-old man with a long-standing lesion involving the tongue, who presented with spontaneous, episodic bleeding over the previous few months. A diagnosis of lymphangioma circumscriptum was established on biopsy. Intralesional bleomycin injection resulted in successful resolution, and the patient remained asymptomatic over more than one year's follow up.

Lymphangioma circumscriptum is usually seen in the extremities and genitals. This case had a very rare site of occurrence, the tongue, and was successfully managed with conservative treatment, using intralesional bleomycin alone.

We report a rare case of chronic facial pain following sclerotherapy for intraparotid haemolymphangioma, thereby highlighting an important clinical consideration when advising this treatment option as an alternative to surgery in the head and neck.

Case report, with a review of relevant literature.

Sclerotherapy of lymphangiomata is well reported in the literature. Unusually, our young patient with an intraparotid haemolymphangioma experienced severe, chronic pain following intralesional injection of sodium tetradecyl sulphate, which required management by a specialist pain service. We discuss the technique of sclerotherapy for such lesions, and also discuss the potential side effects of two agents commonly used in our centre: OK 432 and sodium tetradecyl sulphate.

Non-surgical treatments of lymphangiomata and venous vascular malformations are not without complication. Both patient and clinician should be aware of this, and of the other potential side effects of sclerotherapy, prior to its use in the head and neck.