[Cystic lymphangioma of the abdominal cavity. Report of 11 cases].
OBJECTIVE
Our aim was to assess the epidemiological particularities, the circumstances of the diagnosis and the therapeutic indications of the cystic lymphangioma of the abdominal spaces.


METHODS
Our retrospective and analytic survey concerns 11 cases of cystic lymphangioma of the abdominal spaces: mesentere 6 cases, epiploon 1 case, retroperitoneum 3 cases and under peritoneum 1 case. The incidence was of 1/2476 hospitalizations (0.04%).


RESULTS
The median age was 28 years. The sex-ratio was of 1.2. The main circumstance of discovery of the cystic lymphangioma was an abdominal mass in 7 cases. The other circumstances were: a pseudoappendicular syndrome, an ascitis, a disembowelment and a direct traumatism of the abdomen. Total resection of the cystic lymphangioma was performed in 7 cases. In 4 cases a simple enucleation and in 3 cases a resection of a segment of the organ that supports the lymphangioma. Only a partial resection of the lymphangioma has been achieved for the remnant patient. A cystic lymphangioma relapsed 13 years after a total resection in one case. Mortality rate was nul.


CONCLUSIONS
The circumstances of diagnosis of the cystic lymphangioma were in relation with the volume of the tumor or a mechanical, infectious or hemorrhagic complications. The recidivism after a total resection let evoke the possibility of multiple and diffuse cystic lymphangioma.
Service de Chirurgie Générale, EPS Habib Bourguiba, Sfax, Tunisie.
Mohamed Issam
MI
Beyrouti
Madiha
M
Kharrat
Ramez
R
Beyrouti
Foued
F
Frikha
Nabil
N
Dhieb
Mohamed
M
Ben Amar
Wissem
W
Zouari
Skander
S
Louhichi
Ahmed
A
Guirat
Ali
A
Ghorbel
D000008:Abdominal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018191:Lymphangioma, Cystic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D012189:Retrospective Studies