MESENTERIC, OMENTAL, AND RETROPERITONEAL CYSTS IN CHILDREN

Objective: To report our experience in the management of mesenteric, o mental, and retroperitoneal cysts. Design: Retrospective study. Settin g: University department of paediatric surgery, Turkey. Subjects: 10 c hildren with mesenteric, omental, and retroperitoneal cysts. Intenvent ions: Laparotomy in all cases. Main outcome measures: Mode of presenta tion, imaging techniques, surgical intervention, histological examinat ion, morbidity, and recurrence. Results: The main presenting symptoms were abdominal distension and pain. A palpable abdominal mass was dete cted in 4 patients. Preoperative ultrasonography was done in 8 patient s and showed a cystic mass in 7. All patients underwent laparotomy 6 a s emergencies because of acute abdominal findings. The cysts were loca ted in the small bowel mesentery in 6, in the retroperitoneum in 2, an d in the omentum and the mesosigmoid in another 2. Operations included complete excision of the cyst in 5 and complete excision with intesti nal resection in the other 5. There was only one recurrence of a retro peritoneal cyst that needed a second operation. Conclusion: Early reco gnition and appropriate treatment of these cysts are associated with a good prognosis, but long term follow-up is advisable because of the p ossibility of recurrence.