Cystic abdominal lymphangioma in children: report of two cases

Abdominal cystic lymphangiomas are benign congenital abnormalities of the mesenteric and retroperitoneal lymphatics that are not commonly reported. the clinical presentation is variable and generally asymptomatic. the diagnosis is usually made with the physical examination, ultrasonography and computed tomography. the treatment of choice for symptomatic abdominal cystic lymphangiomas is complete surgical excision of the mass if a large portion of adjacent organs will not have to be sacrificed. we present two mesenteric cystic lymphangioma cases that underwent surgical treatment in this study.a 3-year-old male and 2.5-year-old female who presented with intermittent abdominal pain and an abdominal mass underwent radiological investigation and smooth-bordered, septate mesenteric cystic lymphangiomas were found within the abdomen. surgical treatment was used for both patients with one undergoing mass excision by itself and the second patient with intestinal resection. there were no postoperative problems in either patient and both were discharged with full recovery. mesenteric cystic lymphangiomas are common pathologies in children. they should be kept in mind in patients with intermittent abdominal pain and an abdominal mass, and surgical treatment should be used in selected cases as they can cause serious complications although rarely.