Mesenteric panniculitis presenting as a huge retroperitoneal mass--a case report. (1/18)

A rare case of mesenteric panniculitis occurring in a young patient and presenting as a huge retroperitoneal mass which was mistaken for malignancy, has been described.  (+info)

A pilot study of thalidomide for patients with symptomatic mesenteric panniculitis. (2/18)

BACKGROUND: Mesenteric panniculitis is a rare condition with no standard therapy. AIM: To assess the safety and efficacy of thalidomide for the treatment of patients with symptomatic mesenteric panniculitis using a newly established clinical disease activity index (Mesenteric Panniculitis Subjective Assessment Score). METHODS: In an open-label pilot study, five patients with symptomatic mesenteric panniculitis received oral thalidomide, 200 mg nightly, for 12 weeks. The primary end-point was a reduction in the Mesenteric Panniculitis Subjective Assessment Score by > or = 20% at 12 weeks or complete remission (absence of symptoms). RESULTS: Four (80%) of the five patients responded. The median Mesenteric Panniculitis Subjective Assessment Score at baseline was 39 and at week 12 was 25 (average decrease of 44%). One patient achieved complete remission by week 4, which was sustained. At 12 weeks, three (75%) patients experienced a global response, five (100%) patients had a > or = 20% (range, 29-98%) decrease in erythrocyte sedimentation rate and three (75%) patients had a > or = 20% (range, 61-93%) decrease in C-reactive protein. Abdomino-pelvic computed tomography scans were unchanged in all five patients. There were no serious adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Thalidomide is safe, well tolerated and efficacious in the treatment of some patients with symptomatic mesenteric panniculitis. Further study is indicated.  (+info)

Retractile mesenteritis presenting as protein-losing gastroenteropathy. (3/18)

Retractile mesenteritis is a rare, idiopathic condition characterized by nonspecific inflammation of the mesenteric adipose tissue. The majority of patients present with abdominal pain and/or a palpable mass. In the present report, a 68-year-old man with peripheral edema and mild hypoalbuminemia is presented. Protein-losing gastro-enteropathy was confirmed with an abnormal stool alpha1-antitrypsin clearance test and retractile mesenteritis was diagnosed at laparoscopy. This rare condition may respond to therapy with corticosteroids, azathioprine, cyclophosphamide, colchicine, progesterone, tamoxifen or thalidomide. Gastroenterologists should consider the diagnosis of protein-losing enteropathy in patients who present with unexplained peripheral edema or hypoalbuminemia. The test of choice to confirm this diagnosis is the stool alpha1-antitrypsin clearance test.  (+info)

Occasional finding of mesenteric lipodystrophy during laparoscopy: a difficult diagnosis. (4/18)

Mesenteric lipodystrophy is a rare pathological condition affecting the mesentery. Its initial presentation is typically asymptomatic. Pathological characteristics are unspecific, and generally attributed to inflammation, unless the diagnosis is suspected. Laparoscopy done for other reasons has been, as in this case, unsuccessful in providing evidence for the correct diagnosis, thus requiring laparotomy due to lack of diagnostic tissue. After 6 mo no further medical therapy is required, as the patient remains asymptomatic. Discussion of this case and a brief review of the literature are presented in the following paragraphs.  (+info)

Retractile mesenteritis presenting with malabsorption syndrome. Successful treatment with oral pentoxifylline. (5/18)

Retractile mesenteritis is a rare benign inflammatory disease of the mesentery. Computed tomographic findings usually suggest the diagnosis, which is confirmed by surgical biopsies. Conservative treatment is empirical, based on corticosteroids, colchicine, immunosuppressive agents and progesterone. Surgical resection is sometimes attempted for definitive therapy, although the surgical approach is often limited. This report describes a 62-year old man with histologically proven retractile mesenteritis presenting with malabsorbtion syndrome, who presented pulmonary tuberculosis after initial therapy with corticosteroids. He was subsequently treated with oral pentoxifylline (800 mg/day), with substantial clinical and radiological improvement.  (+info)

Detection of MDM2 gene amplification or protein expression distinguishes sclerosing mesenteritis and retroperitoneal fibrosis from inflammatory well-differentiated liposarcoma. (6/18)

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An unusual presentation of sclerosing mesenteritis as pneumoperitoneum: case report with a review of the literature. (7/18)

Sclerosing mesenteritis is a rare condition that involves the small or large bowel mesentery. An unusual presentation of this condition, which led to difficult preoperative assessment and diagnosis, is described. This report is followed by a comprehensive review of the literature.  (+info)

Mesenteric panniculitis: various presentations and treatment regimens. (8/18)

Mesenteric panniculitis is a rare, benign and chronic fibrosing inflammatory disease that affects the adipose tissue of the mesentery of the small intestine and colon. The specific etiology of the disease is unknown. The diagnosis is suggested by computed tomography and is usually confirmed by surgical biopsies. Treatment is empirical and based on a few selected drugs. Surgical resection is sometimes attempted for definitive therapy, although the surgical approach is often limited. We report two cases of mesenteric panniculitis with two different presentations and subsequently varying treatment regimens. Adequate response was obtained in both patients. We present details of these cases as well as a literature review to compare various presentations, etiologies and potential treatment modalities.  (+info)