title: An unusual cause of acute abdomen in adults: giant cystic lymphangioma of the pancreatic head. A clinical case and literature review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cystic lymphangioma of the pancreas presenting as acute abdomen in adults has not been reported before.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report the case of a young man who presented with severe pain in the upper abdomen and abdominal swelling. On imaging, he was found to have a giant multiseptate cystic lesion occupying almost the entire abdomen anterior to the pancreas. On exploration, a cystic mass involving the head of the pancreas and densely adherent to the antrum, and the second and third parts of the duodenum was found and a classic Whipple pancreaticoduodenectomy was done. Histology revealed a diagnosis of cystic lymphangioma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cystic lymphangioma is a rare benign tumor of the pancreas and this is the first reported case in an adult presenting with acute abdomen. Though rarely diagnosed preoperatively, this entity should also be considered in the differential diagnosis of cystic lesions of the pancreas. Complete surgical excision is curative.
authors.affiliation: Division of Surgical Gastroenterology, School of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, SSKM Hospitals, Kolkata, India. drsupriyo@yahoo.co.in
authors.forename: Supriyo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ghatak
authors.forename: Sukanta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ray
authors.forename: Sumit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sanyal
authors.forename: Pankaj Kr
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Sonar
authors.forename: Sujan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khamrui
authors.forename: Keya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Basu
authors.forename: Sujay
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ray
authors.forename: Kshaunish
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Das
mesh_terms: D000006:Abdomen, Acute / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007813:Laparotomy; D018191:Lymphangioma, Cystic / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D016577:Pancreaticoduodenectomy; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult