Milky Mesentery: Acute Abdomen with Chylous Ascites.

Background: Clinical presentations of intestinal lymphangiectasia include pitting edema, chylous ascites, pleural effusion, diarrhea, malabsorption and intestinal obstruction.
Case Characteristics: An 8-year-old male child presented to the emergency department with clinical features of peritonitis, raising suspicion of appendicular or small bowel perforation.
Intervention/outcome: Diagnosis of chylous ascites with primary intestinal lymphangiectasia made on laparotomy.
Message: Acute peritonitis may be a presentation of primary intestinal lymphangiectasia and chylous ascites.