Chylous Ascites as a Presentation of Lymphangioleiomyomatosis

ACG Case Rep J. 2021 Mar 3;8(3):e00517. doi: 10.14309/crj.0000000000000517. eCollection 2021 Mar.

Abstract

A 35-year-old woman presented to the hospital with a 4-week history of large-volume chylous ascites refractory to paracentesis and new-onset dyspnea. Thoracic computed tomography revealed diffuse pulmonary cystic lesions with pleural effusions, and abdominal computed tomography showed ascites with large bilateral retroperitoneal masses displaying positron emission tomography avidity. Biopsy of the masses demonstrated lymphatic invasion by a perivascular epithelioid cell neoplasm, a smooth muscle tumor. The patient was diagnosed as having the sporadic form of lymphangioleiomyomatosis and was treated with the mammalian target of rapamycin pathway inhibitor sirolumus with clinical improvement.

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  • Case Reports