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Retractile mesenteritis: report of a case
Toru Ikegami1, Yukiharu Sasaki, Takahiro Ezaki
1Department of Surgery, Hiroshima Red Cross and Atomic Bomb Survivors Hospital, Hiroshima 730-8619, Japan.
Surgery Today
|June 2, 2004
Summary
Retractile mesenteritis, a rare inflammatory condition, can cause small bowel obstruction. The "fat-ring sign" on CT scans may indicate this diagnosis in patients with no prior surgery.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Pathology
- Radiology
Background:
- Retractile mesenteritis is an uncommon idiopathic inflammatory condition affecting mesenteric adipose tissue.
- It can manifest with symptoms mimicking other acute abdominal pathologies.
Observation:
- A 58-year-old woman presented with acute abdominal pain and vomiting.
- Laparotomy revealed small bowel obstruction with fibrous plaques in the mesentery.
Findings:
- Histological examination indicated nonspecific chronic mesenteric inflammation.
- Computed tomography revealed the characteristic "fat-ring sign" in the mesenteric fat.
Implications:
- The "fat-ring sign" on CT is a key indicator for diagnosing retractile mesenteritis.
- Early identification aids in managing small bowel obstruction of unclear origin.