Comprehensive Care for Congenital Neck Masses

Congenital neck masses are unpredictable conditions with the potential to grow large and block the fetal airway. This can result in a cascade of negative effects, including polyhydramnios, preterm labor and breathing difficulties after birth.

Failure to diagnose and properly manage these conditions before birth can be life-threatening. With early and accurate prenatal diagnosis and delivery planning, most children with a neck mass have an isolated anomaly and do well after postnatal resection.

At The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, we provide many layers of specialized care for families affected by this condition both before and after birth. Our fetal imaging specialists gather details on the position and location of the mass, its vascularity, and the presence of additional anomalies, hydrops or polyhydramnios so we can best manage these pregnancies and prepare for postnatal care. Genetic testing helps reveal the underlying pathophysiology, which further aids in care management and prognosis, and allows us to provide families a comprehensive risk assessment for future pregnancies.

Expert delivery in our Special Delivery Unit with a team experienced in the EXIT procedure and multidisciplinary care from our Newborn/Infant Intensive Care Unit team, surgeons and the specialized Vascular Anomalies Program mean the best possible outcome and care after birth.

Our Spring 2016 issue of In Utero Insights offers an in-depth look at the comprehensive care we provide for these complex conditions.

Read about:

• The Management of Cervical Teratomas and Cervical Lymphatic Malformations
• Postnatal Care and Sclerotherapy for Lymphatic Malformations
• Advances in Imaging: In Utero Neck Masses
• The Role of Pediatric Interventional Radiology in Lymphatic Malformation Therapy 
• Advances in Genetics: The Role of Genetics in the Management of Fetal Neck Masses

By the numbers

• More than 350 referrals for fetal neck mass
• More than 100 EXIT procedures performed
• More than 45 EXIT procedures performed for neck mass

*Figures as of 03/31/16