Successful laparoscopic removal of mesenteric and omental cysts in toddlers: 3 cases with a literature review

Abstract

Mesenteric and omental cysts are rare benign intraabdominal anomalies with uncertain etiologies. Surgical removal is the preferred treatment owing to complications related to cyst enlargement. A 1-year-old boy with an intrauterine diagnosis of a cystic mass adjacent to his stomach and liver, a 3-year-old girl, and a 3-year-old boywith an incidental diagnosis of intraabdominal cystswere scheduled for laparoscopic surgery. Themass of the 1-year-old boywas amultiloculated cyst originating from the lesser omentum, the incidental mass in the girlwas amultiseptated cyst located in the jejunoilealmesentery, and the incidentalmass of the 3- year-old boy was a uniloculated cyst originating from the ileal mesentery. All the cysts were excised either laparoscopically or in a laparoscopy-assisted manner. The laparoscopic or laparoscopy-assisted excision of the mesenteric and omental cysts seems to be a feasible, safe, and cost-effective surgical procedure with shorter operative times, even in toddlers.