Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 15, 2026
Robot-assisted Total Mesorectal Excision and Lateral Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection for Locally Advanced Middle-low Rectal Cancer
Published on: February 12, 2022
Pediatric Mesenteric Lipoma: Case Report and Narrative Literature Review
Zeljko Zovko1,2, Alessandro Boscarelli1, Daniela Codrich1
1Department of Pediatric Surgery and Urology, Institute for Maternal and Child Health-Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico "Burlo Garofolo", via dell'Istria, 65/1, 34137 Trieste, Italy.
Insights
Giant mesenteric lipomas are rare pediatric tumors. This case highlights a three-year-old boy with a large lipoma causing abdominal pain and mesenteric torsion, successfully treated with surgical excision.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Surgery
- Surgical Oncology
- Abdominal Imaging
Background:
- Lipomas are common benign tumors, typically affecting adults.
- Pediatric deep-seated lipomas occur in various body cavities.
- Mesenteric lipomas in children are exceptionally rare.
Observation:
- A three-year-old male presented with severe, intermittent abdominal pain.
- Imaging revealed a giant mesenteric lipoma causing significant abdominal distension and displacement of organs.
- The lipoma led to torsion of the mesenteric radix, indicating a surgical emergency.
Findings:
- A giant mesenteric lipoma was surgically excised in a three-year-old child.
- The lipoma was associated with mesenteric radix torsion and partial jejunal involvement.
- Histopathological confirmation of lipoma was established post-excision.
Implications:
- Early diagnosis and surgical intervention are crucial for managing symptomatic pediatric mesenteric lipomas.
- Complete surgical excision is the preferred treatment to prevent recurrence and complications like ischemia.
- This case underscores the importance of considering rare abdominal masses in pediatric patients presenting with abdominal pain.
Introduction:
Lipomas are among the most encountered neoplasms in clinical practice, occurring mainly in adults between the fourth and sixth decades of life. Deep-seated lipomas in children are found in the thorax, chest wall, mediastinum, pleura, pelvis, retroperitoneum, and paratesticular area. Herein, we present a case of a three-year-old child with a giant mesenteric lipoma, along with a review of the literature on mesenteric lipomas in childhood.
Case Presentation:
A three-year-old male toddler was referred to our hospital for severe, intermittent abdominal pain. Imaging studies at admission revealed a fat lesion occupying most of the peritoneal cavity and dislocating adjacent structures. An urgent laparotomy was performed. A giant lipoma arising from the mesentery and leading to the torsion of the mesenteric radix was confirmed and completely excised alongside an adherent small tract of jejunum. The child recovered uneventfully and is still being followed-up with no signs of recurrence.
Discussion:
Lipomas of the mesentery in children are very rare, and they are reported to be more common among children younger than three years of age. Mesenteric lipomas appeared to be more frequent in males than females. Even though they might be asymptomatic, voluminous lipomas can also create a lead point for intermittent torsion of the mass causing ischemia and infarction. Abdominal pain was the most frequent symptom, and the ileum was the tract of bowel more frequently involved by the tumor. Laparotomy was reported to be the preferable approach to safely remove this abdominal mass, especially in case of huge dimensions.
Related Concept Videos
01:22Appendicitis-I: Introduction
Etiology: Appendicitis can arise from various causes, primarily rooted in the obstruction of the appendix lumen. Factors contributing to this obstruction include fecal accumulation, lymphoid hyperplasia and, in...
01:21Inflammatory Bowel Disease V: Surgical Management
Here are some common surgical interventions for IBD:
01:29Intestinal Obstruction I: Introduction
01:07Intestinal Obstruction II: Pathophysiology
01:19Appendicitis