CHRONIC CERVICAL LYMPHADENOPATHY: A PROSPECTIVE STUDY IN THE DEPARTMENT OF OTORHINOLARYNGOLOGY AND HEAD AND NECK SURGERY OF THE NATIONAL HOSPITAL OF NOUAKCHOTT (MAURITANIA)

Lymphadenopathy refers to a pathological abnormality of the lymph nodes, a term derived from the Greek adeno (aden, adenos, meaning gland). It manifests as an increase in lymph node volume, which may result from various causes.Chronic cervical lymphadenopathies correspond to an increase in the volume of lymph nodes located in the neck and may be of infectious, inflammatory, tumoral, metabolic, or immunological origin. According to some studies, a lymph node is considered pathological when its size exceeds one centimeter. Other criteria, such as location, persistence, clinical appearance, and patient context, also help refine the diagnosis.