A Case of Cavernous Lymphangioma of the Small Bowel Mesentery

Abstract

Lymphangioma is a benign vascular lesion with characteristics of subepithelial tumor which can proliferate in the lymphatic system. Lymphangioma of the small-bowel mesentery is rare, having been reported in less than 2% of all lymphangiomas. Lymphangioma does not require any specific treatment because it is absolutely a benign tumor. However, surgical exploration is rarely required for cases with disease-related symptoms or complications, or for those misdiagnosed as a malignant lesion. We recently experienced a case of mesenteric cavernous lymphangomas in a 53-year-old female who was misdiagnosed as having a liposarcoma. The final diagnosis was confirmed by a pathologic examination of the specimen that was obtained via laparoscopic exploration. Herein, we report a very rare case of mesenteric cavernous lymphangioma along with a brief review of relevant literature.