Published online Jan 7, 2017. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v23.i1.167
Peer-review started: July 30, 2016
First decision: September 28, 2016
Revised: October 7, 2016
Accepted: October 30, 2016
Article in press: October 31, 2016
Published online: January 7, 2017
Processing time: 161 Days and 18.7 Hours
Intraabdominal lymphangiomas are uncommon; additionally, those affecting the gastrointestinal tract are rare and account for less than 1% of cases. Intussusception caused by a cystic lymphangioma of the small bowel is extremely rare. The patient was a 20-year-old woman who visited our emergency room with a complaint of abdominal pain. A computed tomography image revealed ileo-ileal intussusception with a leading hypovascular mass measuring 1 cm in a diameter. Single-incision laparoscopic-assisted ileal resection was performed. The surgical specimen consisted of a soft polycystic mass. Macroscopically, a pedunculated polyp with a convolutional pattern was found. Microscopically, the inner surfaces of the cysts were covered with a single layer of endothelial cells. On immunohistochemical examination, the endothelial cells were partially positive for D2-40 and CD34. Smooth muscle cells were also found around the cysts. The lesion was diagnosed as a cystic lymphangioma. Dozens of cases of small bowel lymphangiomas have previously been reported. Of these, cases with intussusception were very rare. This is the first case of small bowel intussusception due to lymphangioma treated by single-incision laparoscopic-assisted surgery.
Core tip: We observed an extremely rare case of small bowel intussusception caused by cystic lymphangioma. Dozens of lymphangiomas of the small bowel have previously been reported. Of these, few cases with intussusception have been reported. In the present case, single-incision laparoscopic-assisted surgery was useful for treating the telescoped lesion. To our knowledge, no cases of small bowel intussusception due to lymphangioma have been treated by laparoscopic surgery.