An uncommon cause of abdominal pain: Mesenteric cyst

A Rare Case of Calcified Simple Mesenteric Cyst in a 70-Year-Old Woman

Mesenteric cysts are one of the rare causes of intra-abdominal masses. They account for 1 in 100,000 cases in adults and 1 in 20,000 cases in children. Mesenteric cysts are commonly found in the small intestine, up to 60% of cases, and occasionally in the colon. The clinical presentation of patients with mesenteric cysts is so variable and nonspecific. It ranges from being asymptomatic to features of acute abdomen very rarely. Surgery is the treatment of choice. Complete excision with negative margins plays a curative role in avoiding the risk of recurrence as well. Here, we present the case of a 70-year-old woman who came to Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital with abdominal swelling for a 5-month duration. She had an abdominal ultrasound, which suggested a calcified mesenteric cyst with internal hemorrhage. The patient was taken to the OR with the impression of an intra-abdominal mass for exploratory laparotomy. The mass was completely excised and was subjected to pathology, which turned out to be a calcified simple mesenteric cyst, and the purpose of this case report is to alert physicians that although the preoperative diagnosis of mesenteric cysts is difficult, it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a patient presenting with an intra-abdominal mass.

Mesenteric Cyst with GI Symptoms: A Fluid Approach to Treatment-Case Report and Literature Review

Mesenteric cysts are defined as a heterogeneous group of intra-abdominal cystic lesions of the mesentery or omentum that may be found in any portion of the gastrointestinal tract from the duodenum to the rectum. The clinical condition is entirely asymptomatic in many patients, particularly with small cysts. The diagnosis is typically incidental and secondary to imaging performed for other purposes. In symptomatic patients, the clinical picture is characterized by nonspecific gastrointestinal signs and symptoms. Treatment may be surgical or via interventional radiology. We report the case of a 55-year-old female patient complaining of left-sided abdominal discomfort and constipation lasting three months. An abdominal ultrasound showed the presence of a 10 × 14 × 16 cm anechoic cystic mass filling the whole anterior and left abdominal cavity, confirmed by CT and MRI. The cyst, removed laparoscopically, was histologically a simple mesothelial cyst. We reviewed the international literature over the last 10 years of all cases with mesenteric cysts > 10 cm in evaluating gastrointestinal symptoms at diagnosis, histology, performed treatment, and outcome.

Lymphatic Mesenteric Cyst, a Rare Cause of Surgical Abdominal Pain: Case Report and Review of the Literature

A lymphatic mesenteric cyst (LMC) is a rare clinical entity, of unclear etiopathogenesis, which can arise in the abdominal cavity or retroperitoneum without a clear origin.

We describe a case of a 74-year-old male presenting with abdominal pain that was non-specific and non-responsive to medical therapy. Laboratory tests clinical examination were inconclusive while the abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan showed a cystic lesion of the ileal mesentery. We performed an open surgical excision of the lesion with the resolution of clinical symptoms. The lesion resulted to be an LMC at the histological examination. At the five-year CT scan follow-up, we did not record any recurrences.

LMCs present without specific symptoms and imaging diagnostic techniques, such as ultrasound (US) or CT scan may define its features, location, or size. The preoperative diagnosis remains difficult, which is why the complete surgical excision is the gold standard treatment, aiming to prevent malignant transformation, complications, and recurrences.