Mesenteric Cystic Lymphangioma in Adults Causing Intestinal Volvulus: A Case Report.

Abstract

Mesenteric cystic lymphangioma in adults is a rare, albeit benign disease. The preoperative diagnosis can be challenging due to its asymptomatic nature, and the patient normally presents either with intestinal obstruction or volvulus. This condition lacks specific clinical signs and symptoms, making it unlikely to be diagnosed initially upon presentation. Radiologic imaging exhibits varying sensitivity in detecting mesenteric cystic lymphangioma. Diagnosis is always exclusively based on operative and histopathology confirmation. Histopathology describes the lesion as thin cystic lymphatic channels, often surrounded by lymphoid aggregates and smooth muscle, with positive staining for lymphatic markers, such as D2-40 and CD 31. Complete resection of the bowel along with the lymphangioma eliminates the risk of recurrence; aspiration of such a lesion typically do not achieve complete resolution.

This case report involves a 58-year-old male patient who came with clinical presentation of severe abdominal pain with acute intestinal obstruction, with computed tomography evidence revealing an intestinal volvulus, and the diagnosis was made intraoperatively, with histopathology examination confirming the diagnosis later.

Keywords: Mesenteric Lymphangioma, Volvulus, Chyle