Zainab M., 7

Zainab is the 3rd born of her parents. She lives with her family in a little room and parlour apartment. Her mother is a tailor while her father is a security guard in one of the motor parks in Kaduna. Zainab attends Islamic school and she is in Primary 1. She likes to play with her toys and she loves dancing. The child has had a swelling on the left side of her neck since birth. She sometimes feel pains in the area by the way she was crying and reacting. When she was 1year old, she was taken to Barau dikko where she did series of investigations but after some time the family did not have money to continue with the process. When she was 4 years old, she was taken to Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital and a biopsy was taken and they told them to return in 3months time for surgery but the family could not raise funds for the procedure. Some months ago, a family member saw Helpster fliers and took a picture of it and sent to the mother who then came to the hospital to be evaluated. The swelling became very obvious when the child turned 5years old. On presentation at our facility, the child was evaluated and diagnosed with Cystic Hygroma and requires surgical corrections.

Zainab was managed for a left cervical cystic hygroma and, after preoperative workup with neck ultrasound and labs, underwent surgical excision under general anesthesia on 6/6/2026. Intra-operatively a large cystic mass measuring about 20x16cm with serosanguinous fluid and multiple pockets was excised, and she had a stable recovery with IV antibiotics, analgesics, and fluids. She made significant improvement, was discharged on 16/6/2026 on oral medications, and is now doing well with the facial mass regressed, good wound healing, and no complaints. Zainab and Zainab's family are grateful to Helpster Donors, Helpster Volunteer Stephen and the Hospital Team.

Zainab requires urgent surgical intervention to relieve the pressure as delayed management may result to infection, hemorrhage within the cyst, rapid enlarge causing airway compromise. Prognosis is good after complete excision, however may reoccur ID not complete excised.