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Lymphangioma of the kidney
Ichiya Honma1, Yoshio Takagi, Masanori Shigyo
1Department of Urology, Hakodate Goryoukaku Hospital, Hakodate, Japan. ihmhonma@fancy.ocn.ne.jp
Summary
Primary renal lymphangioma, a rare benign tumor, is exceptionally uncommon in adults. This case highlights the successful surgical enucleation of a renal lymphangioma in a 59-year-old man.
Area of Science:
- Urology
- Pathology
- Oncology
Background:
- Lymphangiomas are rare, benign congenital malformations of the lymphatic system, typically presenting in children.
- Primary renal lymphangioma is an exceedingly rare condition, with fewer than 40 cases documented globally.
- Distinguishing renal lymphangioma from cystic renal cell carcinoma preoperatively can be challenging.
Observation:
- A 59-year-old man presented with a right renal mass detected during a routine health checkup.
- Imaging revealed a 3.2 x 2.9 cm multiloculated cystic mass in the upper pole of the right kidney.
- Malignancy, such as cystic renal cell carcinoma, could not be definitively excluded by diagnostic imaging.
Findings:
- Intraoperative frozen-section histopathology suggested lymphangioma.
- Surgical enucleation of the tumor was performed.
- Final pathological evaluation confirmed the diagnosis of primary renal lymphangioma.
Implications:
- This case expands the limited literature on primary renal lymphangioma, particularly in adult patients.
- It underscores the importance of considering rare diagnoses even when imaging suggests malignancy.
- Successful surgical management, such as enucleation, can lead to favorable outcomes for renal lymphangioma.