title: [Splenic lymphangioma. A rare tumour. Presentation of 3 cases and a literature review].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lymphangiomas are benign tumours, considered to be congenital malformations of the lymphatic system that predominately affect children, with only a few cases reported in adults. The most common sites of these lesions are the neck (75%) and axillary region (20%), but rarely found in the spleen.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  A description is presented of 3 cases of incidentally detected splenic lymphangioma, one in a child and in 2 adults, respectively, as well as a literature review.
  
  
  METHODS
  After a clinical and physical examination, all patients had an abdominal ultrasound, CT scan and a complete splenectomy, followed by a histopathological study on the removed spleen. Two patients were asymptomatic, and the paediatric patient referred to intermittent abdominal pain without other symptoms. The clinical and physical examinations related to the mass were negative. The final diagnosis was based on a combination of radiological and histopathological findings. Total splenectomy was undertaken in all cases without complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Splenic lymphangioma is very rare, and more so in adults. This condition is often asymptomatic and is incidentally detected by imagenology due to any other differet cause. The final diagnosis should be based on a combination of clinical, radiological, and histopathological findings. Splenectomy is the treatment of choice and the prognosis is good.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cirugía General y del Aparato Digestivo, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, España. Electronic address: rodriguezmontes@gmail.com.
authors.forename: José Antonio
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Montes
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Anatomía Patológica, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Collantes-Bellido
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Gastroenterología, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Marín-Serrano
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cirugía General y del Aparato Digestivo, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Prieto-Nieto
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cirugía General y del Aparato Digestivo, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: Juan Pedro
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Pérez-Robledo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008202:Lymphangioma / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D013160:Splenic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis
keywords: Bazo; Esplenectomía; Linfangioma; Lymphangioma; Spleen; Splenectomy