Macrocheilia

Permanent swelling of the lip caused by persistent dilation and dysfunction of lymphatic vessels, resulting in chronic accumulation of lymphatic fluid within the lip tissue.

Causes

• Congenital and developmental causes

  • Primary lymphatic malformation

  • Congenital lymphatic dysplasia

  • Milroy disease and other hereditary lymphatic disorders

• Infectious causes

  • Chronic infections causing lymphatic obstruction

  • Tuberculosis

  • Leprosy

  • Filariasis (lymphatic parasitic infection)

• Inflammatory and granulomatous causes

  • Orofacial granulomatosis

  • Crohn's disease with orofacial involvement

  • Sarcoidosis

  • Melkersson–Rosenthal syndrome

  • Chronic allergic lip disorder

• Traumatic and iatrogenic causes

  • Lip trauma

  • Surgical procedures affecting lymphatic drainage

  • Radiation therapy

• Neoplastic and obstructive causes

  • Lymphatic obstruction due to tumors

  • Metastatic disease affecting regional lymphatic pathways

• Recurrent angioedema leading to persistent tissue changes