A case of invasive hemolymphangioma of the pancreas

World J Gastroenterol. 2008 May 14;14(18):2932-4. doi: 10.3748/wjg.14.2932.

Abstract

Hemolymphangioma of the pancreas is a very rare benign tumor. There were only five reports of this disease until March 2008. Herein, we report a case of hemolymphangioma of the pancreas with gastrointestinal bleeding due to duodenal invasion. A 53-year-old man had been admitted a referral hospital because of severe anemia due to gastrointestinal bleeding in December 2005. He was then transferred to our institute with a diagnosis of a tumor of the head of the pancreas with duodenal invasion in January 2006. No abnormalities were revealed except for anemia in laboratory data including CEA and CA19-9. Gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed bleeding at the duodenum. Computed tomography also demonstrated a heterogenous mass at the pancreatic head and suspected invasion to the duodenal wall. Ultrasonography showed a huge mass at the pancreatic head with a mixture of high and low echoic areas. Pylorous-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy was performed. The pancreatic tumor was soft and had invaded to the duodenum. The pathological diagnosis was a hemolymphangioma of the pancreas invaded to the duodenum. His postoperative course was uneventful and he was discharged on the 26th d after surgery. Hemolymphangioma of the pancreas is a very rare benign tumor. In a literature review until March 2008, we found five case reports. Major symptoms are abdominal pain and distension due to the enlarged tumor. However, we experienced a case of hemolymphangioma of the pancreas with gastrointestinal bleeding due to invasion to the duodenum. This disease is a very rare entity, but should be considered when patients have gastrointestinal bleeding.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / diagnosis
  • Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / etiology
  • Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / pathology
  • Humans
  • Lymphangioma / complications
  • Lymphangioma / diagnosis*
  • Lymphangioma / pathology*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Invasiveness
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / complications
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / pathology*