title: When a lymphatic malformation determines a bowel volvulus: Are clinical status and images always reliable?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An acute abdomen in the form of small-bowel volvulus could be a presentation of a lymphatic malformation in childhood.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 5year old male was admitted to our Institute for an acute abdomen. Clinical aspects and radiological images were not specific for a certain diagnosis. Laparotomy revealed a big soft mass, with a milky content, completely involving about 50cm of ileus with a partial volvulus of the intestinal loop. A complete mass excision and also a bowel involved resection were performed. After a histological examination, a lymphatic malformation was diagnosed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The diagnosis of a mesenteric lymphatic malformation could be intraoperative and a complete resection should be the treatment of choice. Sometimes it could be necessary to perform an involved bowel tract resection in the case of volvolus with ischemia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Paediatricians and surgeons should bare in mind that an intrabdominal lymphatic malformation may present as a nonspecific an acute abdomen caused by a bowel volvolus and diagnosis may not be so simple preoperatively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Surgery and Urology, Institute for Maternal and Child Health - IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy. Electronic address: edoardoguida@libero.it.
authors.forename: Edoardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Guida
authors.affiliation: University of Trieste, Italy. Electronic address: massimo.digrazia1@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Grazia
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Radiology, Institute for Maternal and Child Health - IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy. Electronic address: elcattaruzzi@yahoo.it.
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cattaruzzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy. Electronic address: bussani@univ.trieste.it.
authors.forename: Rossana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bussani
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Surgery and Urology, Institute for Maternal and Child Health - IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy; University of Trieste, Italy. Electronic address: waifro.rigamonti@burlo.trieste.it.
authors.forename: Waifro
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Rigamonti
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Surgery and Urology, Institute for Maternal and Child Health - IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy. Electronic address: mariaantonietta.lembo@burlo.trieste.it.
authors.forename: Maria Antonietta
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Lembo
keywords: Acute abdomen; Children; Lymphatic malformation