Segmental omental infarction: an unusual cause of acute abdomen

Omental infarction is a rare cause of acute abdominal pain, and the cause of omental infarction itself remains unknown. The diagnosis of omental infarction is occasionally made intra-operatively, because it is poorly known and presents no specific clinical features. Therefore omental infarction shou...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: José de Arimatéia Batista Araújo Filho, Lorena Elaine Amorim Pinto, João Augusto dos Santos Martines, Brenda Margatho Ramos Martines, Cláudio Campi de Castro, Rodrigo Montenegro Lourenção
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of São Paulo 2012-06-01
Series:Autopsy and Case Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.revistas.usp.br/autopsy/article/view/36462
Description
Summary:Omental infarction is a rare cause of acute abdominal pain, and the cause of omental infarction itself remains unknown. The diagnosis of omental infarction is occasionally made intra-operatively, because it is poorly known and presents no specific clinical features. Therefore omental infarction should always be considered in the differential diagnosis of abdominal inflammatory processes, mainly those affecting the right lower quadrant. The increasing use of computed tomography in cases of acute abdomen has facilitated the diagnosis of omental infarction in the pre-operative period. Here, we present the case of a 36-year-old, overweight female patient with clinical symptoms of acute abdomen. Computed tomography of the abdomen revealed indications of omental infarction. The patient was treated conservatively with analgesics and a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory. The clinical evolution was favorable.
ISSN:2236-1960