[Abdominal lymphangioma in childhood]

The symptoms of abdominal lymphangioma are unspecific and depend on site and size of the tumor. The most frequent symptoms consist of pain up to the clinical picture of a pseudo-appendicitis, digestive problems, palpable or even exterior visible tumors such as the pseudo-ascites. Often the diagnosis cannot be found by clinical examination or further investigation. As a differential diagnosis all mesenterial cysts as well as other cystic tumors which originate in an abdominal organ must be taken in account. In most cases possible complications make surgical intervention necessary through which an exact diagnosis of the actually asymptomatic tumor can be found. Lymphangioma can lead to obstruction of the intestine, the ureter or the bile-duct. Inflammations of the cyst wall, bleeding into the cyst, torsion of the cyst pedicle and rupture of the cyst occur. The only curative therapy is the total surgical removal. Prognosis is good and relapse seldom occurs. We report on a 4.5-year-old boy with a cystic lymphangioma of the mesosigma. In addition, we discuss cases from the literature of the past 15 years.