Retroperitoneal filariasis diagnosed by fine needle aspiration: a case report.
BACKGROUND
Filarial worms lodge anywhere, from body fluids to subcutaneous tissue, as various case reports prove.


METHODS
A 21-year-old Nepali male presented with bilateral groin swellings. Imaging studies showed dilated retroperitoneal lymphatics forming a mass, suggestive of lymphangioma or lymphangioleiomyoma. Fine needle aspiration (FNA) of the retroperitoneal mass revealed microfilariae of Wuchereria bancrofti.


CONCLUSIONS
This is the first reported case of retroperitoneal filarial lymphangiectasia diagnosed on FNA, thus stressing the importance of FNA as a simple yet effective diagnostic tool.
Department of Surgical Pathology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar.
Issam
I
Al Bozom
Shieja M
SM
Koshy
Hijran
H
Mahdi
Mohammed Fahmy
MF
Abdullah
Elsaid Ma
EM
Bedair
D000818:Animals; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005368:Filariasis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008202:Lymphangioma / Q000175:diagnosis; D008203:Lymphangiomyoma / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D012187:Retroperitoneal Space / Q000469:parasitology*; D014958:Wuchereria bancrofti / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D055815:Young Adult