Large intra-abdominal cystic lymphangioma managed by laparoscopic partial excision and modified drain with no need for open resection

Abstract

A 57-year-old woman was referred to the emergency department after a CT scan ordered by her general practitioner to investigate her abdominal pain showed a large cystic mass. The simple cystic appearance with its location in the small bowel mesentery prompted a provisional diagnosis of cystic lymphangioma. However, concerns regarding the size, location and local involvement of neurovascular structures presented a technical surgical challenge. Here we present a case of minimally invasive laparoscopic drainage using a modified Jackson-Pratt drain that avoided a laparotomy and open resection.