Laparoscopic resection of a giant mesenteric cyst.

Laparoscopic resection of a giant retroperitoneal, mesenteric cyst in a 38-year-old man who presented with abdominal distension and pedal edema is described. The diagnosis was made by abdominal computed tomography, which revealed a large cystic mass that was causing extrinsic compression of the inferior vena cava and the right ureter. The hospital course was uneventful, and the patient was discharged 2 days postoperatively. This new endoscopic approach offers a useful alternative to the traditional transabdominal excision of a mesenteric cyst and may have some theoretical advantages, including less postoperative pain and shorter convalescence.