Splenic lymphangioma: a rare benign tumor of the spleen treated by laparoscopic surgery.

Spleen diseases are rare, being splenic abscesses, splenic cysts, benign tumors (hemangioma, lymphangioma and others), and malignant tumors (lymphomas, metastases and others)1. Primary benign tumors of the spleen are extremely rare and account for less than 0.007% of all tumors identified upon surgery and autopsy2. Splenic lymphangiomas (SL) are benign cystic tumors resulting from congenital malformations of the lymphatic system that appear as single or multiple lesions of the spleen3,4,5. SL mainly affect children and rarely manifest after 20 years of age6. The main clinical manifestations are abdominal pain, vomiting and a palpable mass, although these tumors are asymptomatic in most patients2,7,8. The treatment is eminently surgical. With the advent of minimally invasive surgery and after the first videolaparoscopic splenectomy performed by Delaitre and Maignien in 1991, various surgeons have adapted and improved this technique for the treatment of spleen diseases, especially for patients with hematological disease such as immune thrombocytopenic purpura2,9.