Diagnosis and treatment of retroperitoneal fibrosis: A case report

Retroperitoneal fibrosis (RPF) is a rare disease of unclear etiology, which is characterized by a chronic non-specific inflammation of the retroperitoneum. The present study reports the case of a 36-year-old male with a 3-month history of lower right abdominal pain (intermittent) and weight loss (5 kg). A mass was identified that covered the surface of the abdominal aorta and the inferior vena cava near the right renal hilum. Three shots with an automated gun were employed to biopsy the mass. The patient began taking prednisone one month subsequent to the surgery at a dose of 10 mg, three times a day once a month and at continuously reducing doses for 1 year. CT scans showed that the retroperitoneal mass decreased in size with the progression of the treatment and that the mass had almost disappeared on the final month's MRI scan. In conclusion, the diagnosis of retroperitoneal fibrosis is an effective process that excludes the other diagnoses for the lesion. A biopsy of the mass is a necessity for the final stage of diagnosis and is supported by the response to the steroid treatment.