A rare cause of acute abdomen in childhood: coexistence of mesenteric cystic lymphangioma and acute appendicitis

Abstract

Abdominal cystic lymphangiomas are benign congenital anomalies of the mesenteric and retroperitoneal lymphatics, which are not common in the literature. Diagnosis is usually made by physical examination, ultrasonography, and computed tomography. If a significant portion of adjacent organs is not to be sacrificed, complete surgical removal of the mass is the therapeutic option for symptomatic abdominal cystic lymphangiomas. In this study, a patient with mesenteric cystic lymphangioma who underwent surgical treatment is presented. A result of the radiological examinations performed on a 17-year-old female patient who applied for intermittent abdominal pain and a mass in the abdomen as a result of the well-defined, septated mesenteric cystic lymphangioma and acute appendicitis were detected. The patient underwent a diagnostic laparoscopic procedure and then an open surgical treatment, and excision and resection anastomosis were performed on the mass surrounding the jejunum approximately 100 cm distal to the ligament of Treitz. The patient did not have any postoperative problems and was discharged with recovery on the 5th day after surgery. Mesenteric cystic lymphangiomas should be kept in mind in patients with intermittent abdominal pain and abdominal mass, and surgical treatment should be applied in selected cases, as it may rarely cause serious complications.