Congenital Peritoneal Encapsulation Limiting Generalized Peritonitis: A Case Report of a Human Kangaroo Sac

Congenital peritoneal encapsulation (CPE) is a very rare entity that occurs due to atypical embryonic development of the gastrointestinal tract, resulting in an extraperitoneal membrane that partially or completely encloses the small intestine. It is an exceptionally rare condition that is usually asymptomatic and is identified incidentally during surgery or autopsy. We report a case of a 34-year-old male patient who presented with stable vitals and features of localized peritonitis of the left upper abdomen. The chest X-ray (posteroanterior (PA) view) and abdominal X-ray (erect view) showed gas under the diaphragm, and contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) of the abdomen was suggestive of pneumoperitoneum. Exploratory laparotomy confirmed the diagnosis of CPE with gastric perforation. The rare presence of peritoneal encapsulation may have limited the spread of peritoneal contamination, making the patient present with only features of localized peritonitis and less severe symptoms.