Omental torsion and infarction: a diagnostic dilemma and its laparoscopic management

Vascular disturbances of the omentum, described variously as acute epiploitis, primary omental torsion, idiopathic segmental infarction, etc., is an infrequent cause of acute abdomen, often mimicking acute appendicitis, cholecystitis, or pancreatitis. In this retrospective article, we share our experiences about the incidence, diagnostic dilemma, and management of patients with omental torsion or infarction and discuss the diagnostic and therapeutic role of laparoscopy. From January 2003 to December 2008, 9 patients (7 men and 2 women; median age, 26 years; range, 5-71) with omental gangrene, including omental torsion and infarction, were operated on at our institute. Of these, 8 patients had a preoperative provisional diagnosis of acute appendicitis and 1 patient of acute calculus cholecystitis. During this period, a total of 1502 patients were diagnosed and operated on laparoscopically for acute appendicitis and acute cholecystitis. Of them, 2 patients were intraoperatively diagnosed to have omental torsion and 7 patients had segmental omental infarction. Incidences of omental gangrene presenting as acute cholecystitis and acute appendicitis were 0.11 and 1.1%, respectively. The suspected preoperative pathology was grossly normal, and histopathology of the same was noncontributory to the cause of acute abdomen. All 9 cases were managed laparoscopically, with the gangrenous omentum excised along with appendectomy in 8 patients and cholecystectomy in 1 patient. In conclusion, inspection of the omentum should be a routine part of exploration in suspected acute appendicitis.