Diagnosis and Treatment of Mesenteric Tumours

Purpose: To reveal clinical and diagnostic findings in patients with mesenteric tumours and to give an insight into the follow-up of these patients.

Background: Primary tumours of the mesentery are very infrequent. These tumours are cystic or solid and show benign or malignant clinical behaviour. In this article, we report clinical and radiological findings from eight cases of mesen-teric tumours.

Patients and methods: This study included eight patients with mesenteric tumours who underwent computed tomography in the Department of General Surgery, Baskent University, between December 2003 and April 2007. Results: Three mesenteric tumours were solid and five had cystic patterns. Seven were excised totally on laparotomy and one was excised on laparoscopy. None of the patients showed malignant progression. CT showed mesenteric cysts in only two cases, but failed to show solid tumours: the pre-operative diagnosis was made accurately in just (2/8) 25% of the patients.

Conclusions: It can be concluded that pre-operative CT is generally helpful, but inconclusive in an accurate diagnosis of mesenteric tumours. Surgery is required to make a definitive diagnosis of mesenteric tumours and to avoid complications.