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Omental cysts: an unusual cause of abdominal distension in children

G M Henry1, I B Kern, B G Currie

  • 1Prince of Wales Childrens Hospital, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia.

Pediatric Surgery International
|September 24, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Congenital cystic lesions of the omentum are rare in children and challenging to diagnose preoperatively. Complete surgical resection is the recommended treatment for these benign conditions.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Surgery
  • Abdominal Imaging
  • Developmental Biology

Background:

  • Congenital cystic lesions of the omentum are rare in pediatric patients.
  • Preoperative diagnosis is difficult due to nonspecific clinical and imaging features.
  • These lesions are believed to originate from developmental anomalies of the lymphatic system.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the presentation and management of congenital cystic lesions of the omentum in children.
  • To highlight the diagnostic challenges and emphasize the importance of surgical resection.
  • To discuss the embryological origin and confirm the benign nature of these lesions.

Main Methods:

  • Case report of two pediatric patients with omental cystic lesions.
  • Review of relevant medical literature on congenital omental cysts.
  • Analysis of diagnostic modalities and surgical outcomes.

Main Results:

  • Two cases of pediatric omental cystic lesions were successfully treated with complete surgical excision.
  • Literature review confirmed the rarity and diagnostic difficulty of these lesions.
  • Histopathological examination confirmed the benign nature of the resected lesions.

Conclusions:

  • Congenital cystic lesions of the omentum are rare but benign pediatric findings.
  • Complete surgical resection is the definitive treatment.
  • Long-term follow-up is generally not required due to their benign nature.

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