A Rare Cause of Childhood Ileus: Giant Mesenteric Lipoma and a Review of the Literature

Mesenteric lipomas are benign tumors of mature fat cells. They are usually asymptomatic and create a clinical picture that depends on the localization and size of the lipoma. Although rare, unusually large mesenteric giant lipomas can cause partial or complete bowel obstruction. Lipomas resulting in partial bowel obstruction can present with symptoms such as intermittent abdominal pain and abdominal distention. With complete obstruction, a child can present with an acute abdomen. Treatment is the excision of the mass along with the affected portion of bowel. In this case study, a 2-year-old female presented with a bowel obstruction due to the presence of a giant mesenteric lipoma. Clinical features of 16 cases published in the English literature to date are presented.