A Rare Case of Abdominal Tumor: Mesenteric Cyst

Abstract

Mesenteric cysts are rare, usually benign, tumors that typically present asymptomatically and are found incidentally during evaluation for nonspecific abdominal symptoms. We present the case of a 41-year-old African American female who was found to have a mesenteric cyst in her jejunum during the evaluation of abdominal pain, nausea, and constipation that she had been experiencing for six weeks. Pre-operatively, an abdominal CT scan showed a 6x4x6 cm mesenteric cystic lesion in the right mid-abdomen, which was then successfully resected off the mesentery of the jejunum laparoscopically. Her postoperative course was uneventful and she was discharged home without complication a few hours after her procedure with appropriate follow-up.

Keywords: abdominal cyst; atypical abdominal pain; constipation; primary mesenteric cyst; tumor surgery.

Figure 1. Image taken by laparoscopic camera showing multiloculated cyst wrapped around the jejunum, with an approximate measurement of 6 x 4 x 6cm. It spared the anterior one-third of the affected jejunum.

Figure 2. Image taken by laparoscopic camera showing posterior attachment of the mesenteric cyst to the jejunum.

Figure 3. Image taken by laparoscopic camera showing the excision of the cyst from the jejunum.