A case of intra-abdominal multiple lymphangiomas in an adult in whom the immunological evaluation supported the diagnosis

Abstract

A 60-year-old patient with intra-abdominal lymphangiomatosis is described. He presented with anaemia due to enteric haemorrhage, hypoproteinaemia with heavy hypogammaglobulinaemia and T-cell lymphopenia. Duodenal biopsy showed lymphangiectasia while a small bowel study revealed several filling defects in the terminal ileum. On exploratory laparotomy, numerous inoperable lymphangio-haemangiomata were found, involving the small and large intestine, appendix, mesenterium, gallbladder and main biliary tract. The importance of T-cell lymphopenia and hypogammaglobulinaemia in the diagnosis of intra-abdominal lymphangiomatosis with lymphangiectasia is stressed.