title: Laparoscopic management of abdominal lymphatic cyst in children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of laparoscopic surgery (LS) in management of abdominal lymphatic cyst (ALC) in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical records of all patients undergoing LS for ALC at the National Hospital of Pediatrics, Hanoi, Vietnam, from May 2007 to June 2011 were reviewed. For LS, one umbilical port of 10 mm and up to three other 3-5-mm ports were used. Cystic fluid was aspirated prior to removal of the cyst. When intestinal resection was indicated, the mesenteric cyst with the bowel loop was delivered out of the abdomen through a minimally enlarged umbilical incision; resection of the intestinal segment together with the cyst and the bowel anastomosis were both performed extracorporally.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-seven patients were identified, with a mean age of 4.3 ± 3.7 years. The most common symptoms were abdominal pain (72.3%) and abdominal distention (34.0%). Four patients presented with acute abdomen due to infection or hemorrhage of the cyst. Mean size of the ALC was 9.5 ± 5.5 cm (range, 3.4-30 cm). In 12 cases the ALC was omental, and in 35 cases it was mesenteric. Laparoscopic cyst excision was performed in 36 cases (76.6%) versus laparoscopy-assisted bowel resection en bloc with the cyst in 8 cases (17.0%); in 3 patients (6.4%), conversion to open surgery was required. Mean operative time was 79 ± 39 minutes. There were no intra- or postoperative complications. Mean length of hospital stay after laparoscopic management was 3.8 ± 1.6 days. The results of pathologic investigation showed benign cystic lymphangioma in all cases. During follow-up ranging from 1 month to 4 years, recurrence was seen in 1 patient (2.1%) with complex mesenteric cyst. All other patients remained in good health.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Laparoscopic management is safe, feasible, and effective and should be the treatment of choice for most cases of ALC in children.
authors.affiliation: National Hospital of Pediatrics, Hanoi, Vietnam. drtranson@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Ngoc Son
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Tran
authors.forename: Thanh Liem
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Nguyen
mesh_terms: D034841:Abdominal Cavity; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008210:Lymphocele / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D016896:Treatment Outcome