Benign cystic mesothelioma presenting as acute abdominal pain in a young woman.

Benign cystic mesothelioma is a rare tumor that, due to compressive effects, presents with abdominal pain and distention and other mass symptoms such as early satiety. Although diagnostic modalities such as plain radiography, ultrasonography, and computed tomography (CT) scan can suggest the diagnosis, confirmation can be accomplished only at surgery. The differential diagnosis includes any benign or malignant cystic abdominal or pelvic tumor. Management consists of surgical excision, which unfortunately is not always curative, since there is a recurrence rate of 50%. The clinical features, work-up, and course of a 15-year-old female with benign cystic mesothelioma are presented, followed by a brief review of the literature.