A Rare Case of Giant Mesenteric Lipoblastoma in a 6-Year-Old Child and Review of the Literature

Abstract

Giant mesenteric lipoblastoma is a rare benign tumor arising from the adipocytes. It can mimic malignant tumors, and its diagnosis is difficult before surgery. Imaging studies could lead the diagnosis but not confirm it. Those tumors arising in the abdomen are usually larger and can cause symptoms of compression. Surgical excision is the treatment of choice, and a long-term follow-up is necessary to detect local recurrences. Only a few cases of lipoblastomas arising from the mesentery are reported in literature. We present a case of a rare giant lipoblastoma arising from the mesentery of a 6-year-old girl, with a history of postprandial abdominal pain.

Figure 1

(a, b) MRI ((a) T1 weighted, (b) Thrive sequences) showing the mass occupying the entire abdominal cavity, compressing and displacing the bowel, the inferior vena cava, and common iliac veins.

Figure 2

(a, b) Intraoperative findings: the mass comes from the mesentery, stretching the involved ileum (a), which was resected together with the mass (b).

Figure 3

Esthetic results at follow-up.