A case of colon lymphangioma treated with laparoscopy-assisted ileocecal resection

We encountered a patient with colon lymphangioma and performed laparoscopy-assisted ileocecal resection. The patient was a 68-year-old male who visited our hospital for weight loss in May 1999. Since fecal occult blood was positive on close examination, colonoscopy was performed. A light-permeable, transparent, and pedunculated polyp was found in the ascending colon and diagnosed as submucosal tumor. The patient was admitted for close examination and treatment. Abdominal CT detected a tumor in the ascending colon accompanied by disturbed surrounding adipose tissue, suggesting extramural invasion of the tumor. Based on the diagnosis of extramural submucosal tumor of the ascending colon, ileocecal resection was performed with laparoscopic assistance. The laparoscopic findings were as follows: 1) Lymph vascular dilatation filled with lymph expanding on the serosal surface, 2) light-permeability/translucency, 3) laparoscopic cushion sign, and 4) lymph vascular dilatation in the surrounding adipose tissue. Laparoscopy-assisted surgery was useful for the diagnosis and treatment of colon lymphangioma, and characteristic laparoscopic findings were noted. Laparoscopic surgery is a useful for a diagnosis and the treatment of large lymphangioma of colon.