Jugular phlebectasia in children.

Jugular phlebectasia is a congenital dilatation of jugular vein which appears as a soft, compressible mass in the neck only during straining or crying. It should be differentiated from laryngocele, cysts and tumors of neck which may also appear during straining. Comparable ultrasonography (US) and computerized tomography (CT) are diagnostic methods to distinguish the pathology. Four children with jugular phlebectasia diagnosed by venography, US and CT are reported. Surgical excision of the dilated segment was performed in each case. The inevitability of surgical intervention is discussed.