title: Cystic lymphangioma of the pancreas.
abstract: Lymphangioma of the pancreas is an extremely rare benign tumour of lymphatic origin, with fewer than 60 published cases. Histologically, it is polycystic, with the cysts separated by thin septa and lined with endothelial cells. Though congenital, it can affect all age groups, and occurs more frequently in females. Patients usually present with epigastric pain and an associated palpable mass. Complete excision is curative, even though, depending on the tumour location, surgery may be simple or involve extensive pancreatic resection and anastomoses. The authors present a 49-year-old woman in whom a polycystic septated mass, 35 mm multiply 35 mm in size, was discovered by ultrasonography (US) in the body of the pancreas during investigations for epigastric pain and nausea. At surgery, a well circumscribed polycystic tumor was completely excised, with preservation of the pancreatic duct. The postoperative recovery was uneventful. Histology confirmed a microcystic lymphangioma of the pancreas. Immunohistochemistry showed cystic endothelial cells reactivity to factor VIII-RA (++), CD31 (+++) and CD34 (-). Postoperatively, abdominal pain disappeared and the patient remained symptom free for 12 mo until now. Although extremely rare, lymphangioma of the pancreas should be taken into consideration as a differential diagnosis of a pancreatic cystic lesion, especially in women.
authors.affiliation: First Surgical Clinic, Institute for Digestive Diseases, Clinical Center of Serbia, Koste Todorovica 6 Str, Belgrade 11000, Serbia.
authors.forename: Radoje B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Colovic
authors.forename: Nikica M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Grubor
authors.forename: Marjan T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Micev
authors.forename: Henry Dushan E
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Atkinson
authors.forename: Vitomir I
authors.initials: VI
authors.lastname: Rankovic
authors.forename: Mihajlo M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Jagodic
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018191:Lymphangioma, Cystic / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D009325:Nausea / Q000209:etiology; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014463:Ultrasonography