Korean J Gastroenterol.  2010 Dec;56(6):353-358. 10.4166/kjg.2010.56.6.353.

Clinical Aspects of Intraabdominal Cystic Lymphangioma in Korea

• Na WT
• Lee TH
• Lee BS
• Kim SH
• Chae HB
• Kim SB
• Kim YS
• Kim SM
• Im EH
• Huh KC
• Choi YW
• Kang YW

• KMID: 1775850
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4166/kjg.2010.56.6.353

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS
Cystic lymphangioma is an uncommon disease, and rarely develops in the intraabdomen. The aim of this article was to discuss about clinical characteristics of intraabdominal cystic lymphangioma developed in Korea.
METHODS
Age, sex, symptoms, locations and size of the lesions, diagnostic methods, treatments, complications and recurrence were analyzed in 13 pathologically confirmed cases of intraabdominal cystic lymphangioma and 18 cases of literature consideration reported in Korea.
RESULTS
Intraabdominal cystic lymphangioma commonly developed in adults compared to the other lymphangioma, and frequently located in the mesentery. Abdominal pain was the most common symptom, but it was a non-specific finding. Tenderness and abdominal mass were not significantly associated. The size of mass was diverse. Abdominal ultrasonography and abdominal CT were diagnostic tools most commonly used, but preoperative diagnosis was possible only in 22.6%. All patients were discharged without any complications, and no recurrence was reported.
CONCLUSIONS
Preoperative diagnosis of intraabdominal cystic lymphangioma is difficult and symptoms and signs are not specific. Intra-abdominal cystic lymphangioma should be suspected in patients with non specific abdominal pain and intraabdominal mass and active diagnostic evaluation is mandatory.

Keyword

Lymphangioma, Cystic; Abdominal cavity

MeSH Terms

Abdominal Pain/etiology
Adult
Aged
Child
Child, Preschool
Diagnosis, Differential
Female
Humans
Lymphangioma, Cystic/*diagnosis/pathology/ultrasonography
Male
Mesentery/pathology
Middle Aged
Omentum/pathology
Peritoneal Neoplasms/*diagnosis/pathology/ultrasonography
Prognosis
Republic of Korea
Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1. Schematic diagrammatic drawing depicting four types of mesenteric cystic lymphangiomas (MCL) (Adopted from reference 4). 1) Type 1 is a pedicled MCL. 2) Type 2 is a sessile MCL located in the mesenteric boundaries. 3) Type 3 is an MCL with retroperitoneal extension. 4) Type 4 describes multi-centric MCLs.

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