Argon Beam Coagulation Negates the Need for Drainage in the Excision of Cystic Hygromas

Objective: To ascertain if the use of argon beam coagulation has supplanted suction drains in cystic hygroma surgery.

Design: Eleven patients prospectively underwent cystic hygroma surgery utilizing argon beam coagulation without concomitant use of suction drainage postoperatively.

Setting: All of these cases were performed at the Boston Floating Hospital for Children and the New Hampshire Hospital for Children.

Patients: Eleven children with age ranges from 1 month to 4 years underwent cystic hygroma resections in various locations including the axilla, neck, lower extremity, trunk, and small bowel mesentery.

Intervention: The Argon Beam Coagulator (ABC) was used in all of these cases to ablate the entire operative field after excision of the cystic hygroma. All of the sites were closed primarily without the use of suction drains.

Main Outcomes: This series of cases proved beyond a doubt that using an argon beam coagulator obviates the need for employing drains in these surgical sites.

Results: After a mean follow up of thirty months (12-60 months), none of the patients had a wound complication, including seroma or hematoma formation. Additionally, there were no recurrences. The length of stay in all of the patients was less than twenty-four hours.

Conclusion: We conclude that argon beam coagulation aids in the excision of cystic hygromas by sealing the lymphatics that contribute to seroma formation, thereby eliminating the need for painful, scar-inducing suction drains.