Calcified cystic lymphangioma of the mesentery: case report

Mesenteric cysts are rare and are associated with heterogeneous pathological conditions. We describe an extraordinary case of mesenteric calcified cystic lymphangioma in a 10-year-old boy. To the best of our knowledge only 6 mesenteric calcified cystic lymphangioma have been reported. The patient was admitted with abdominal pain and vomiting. Abdominal X-ray and computed tomography scan documented a calcified cyst which dislocated and compressed the ileum. Laparatomy revealed that the cyst arose in the mesentery at 100 cm from the ileocecal valve. The cystic wall was composed of fibrosclerotic calcified tissue and had an endothelial lining. In the adjacent fibrofatty stroma there were distended hemolymphatics. Postoperative recovery was uneventful. At follow-up 6 months after surgery the patient is well. Calcified cystic lymphangioma of the mesentery should be considered in the differential diagnosis of an intra-abdominal calcified cyst in children.