Littoral cell hemangioma in the spleen: a rare benign vascular tumor in a pediatric patient

Abstract

The spleen is a richly vascularized organ and is rarely the site of tumors. Among the most frequent are hemangioma and lymphangioma. Littoral cell angioma (LCA) is a rare primary vascular tumor of the spleen that arises from the cells lining the venous sinuses of the red pulp. There are two forms of LCA: diffuse multinodular and solitary (less frecuentely). Since LCA mainly affects individuals between the ages of 40 and 60, reports of this condition in children are extremely rare. We present the case of an asymptomatic pediatric patient who, through an incidental finding on ultrasound, was diagnosed with a splenic nodule with progressive growth and thrombocytopenia, and underwent further investigation and surgical treatment with laparoscopic splenectomy. The histopathological result confirmed the presence of a solitary littoral cell tumor, which is a rarer presentation.