Abstract
Giant mesenteric cavernous lymphangioma is a rare lymphatic malformation in adults and an uncommon cause of chronic bowel obstruction. Although these lesions are typical of the paediatric population, their occurrence in adults poses significant diagnostic challenges due to their clinical and radiological similarity to malignant neoplasms such as liposarcoma, lymphoma and gastrointestinal stromal tumours. This report describes the case of a 58-year-old man with chronic bowel obstruction in whom the initial diagnosis suggested malignancy. After surgical resection, histopathological examination confirmed the benign nature of the lesion and identified it as a mesenteric cavernous lymphangioma. The present case contributes to the understanding of this entity in adults and emphasises its importance in the differential diagnosis of chronic intestinal obstruction. It also highlights the need to integrate clinical, radiological and anatomopathological evaluation to establish an accurate diagnosis and guide appropriate therapeutic decisions, with direct implications for the management of complex abdominal pathologies.