An adult case of lymphangioma of the hepatoduodenal ligament mimicking a hepatic cyst

BACKGROUND: Intra-abdominal lymphangiomas are rare, benign tumors in adults. This report is the third documented case of a lymphangioma originating in the hepatoduodenal ligament that mimicked a simple liver cyst. CASE PRESENTATION: A 50-year-old woman was admitted with a cystic tumor in the right lobe of her liver and underwent laparoscopic excision of the cyst. Operative findings revealed that the cyst had developed in the hepatoduodenal ligament, not in the liver. A small part of the cystic wall remained on the dorsal surface of the hepatoduodenal ligament. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells stained positive only for D2-40, leading to a diagnosis of lymphangioma (cystic type). Six months later, a cystic tumor recurred and was completely excised via laparotomy. No recurrence was observed after the second operation. CONCLUSIONS: The incomplete excision of the cystic tumor led us to re-operate 6 months after the first operation for the local disease recurrence.