Giant Mesenteric Cavernous Lymphangioma in an Adult as a Cause of Chronic Intestinal Subocclusion: A Case Report

TL;DR

A rare benign lymphatic tumor in an adult's mesentery caused chronic intestinal blockage and was initially mistaken for cancer.

Contribution

This case report adds to the understanding of mesenteric cavernous lymphangiomas in adults and their diagnostic challenges.

Findings

The lesion was initially suspected to be a malignancy but was confirmed as a benign lymphangioma post-surgery.

The case highlights the importance of integrating clinical, radiological, and pathological evaluations for accurate diagnosis.

It emphasizes the need to consider rare benign conditions in the differential diagnosis of chronic intestinal obstruction.

Abstract

Giant mesenteric cavernous lymphangioma is a rare lymphatic malformation in adults and an uncommon cause of chronic bowel obstruction. Although these lesions are typical of the paediatric population, their occurrence in adults poses significant diagnostic challenges due to their clinical and radiological similarity to malignant neoplasms such as liposarcoma, lymphoma and gastrointestinal stromal tumours. This report describes the case of a 58-year-old man with chronic bowel obstruction in whom the initial diagnosis suggested malignancy. After surgical resection, histopathological examination confirmed the benign nature of the lesion and identified it as a mesenteric cavernous lymphangioma. The present case contributes to the understanding of this entity in adults and emphasises its importance in the differential diagnosis of chronic intestinal obstruction. It also highlights the need to integrate clinical, radiological and anatomopathological evaluation to establish an accurate diagnosis and guide appropriate therapeutic decisions, with direct implications for the management of complex abdominal pathologies.

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