Sclerosing Mesenteritis

Sclerosing mesenteritis is a rare condition; it's an idiopathic nonspecific inflammatory process in the adipose tissue of the small bowel mesentery. It often develops into huge masses that contain necrotic fat, and these masses mimick malignancy. It has two pathologically different variants: mesenteric panniculitis (acute or subacute) and retractile-mesenteritis (chronic). Although infection, trauma, local ischemia, surgery and malignancy have been implicated in the etiology of this disease, the exact causes are unknown. The disease usually has a favorable prognosis. The diagnosis is confirmed by biopsy. A 59 year-old man visited in our hospital with vague abdominal pain and diarrhea that he had suffered with during the previous three months. A computed tomography (CT) scan showed a dilated small intestine and also masses in the small bowel mesentery. On the operative findings, fibrous masses were noted in the mesentery. The pathologic report revealed sclerosing mesenteritis. We report here on a case of sclerosing mesenteritis along with a review of the literatures.

A Case of Nonfunctioning Pancreatic Islet Cell Carcinomas in Adolescence

Neuroendocrine pancreatic tumors (NPTs) arise from the pancreatic islet cells and belong to the amine and precursor uptake and decarboxylation (APUD) system. These tumors are rare and account for only 1% to 5% of pancreatic tumor. The pancreas is an extremely uncommon site of neoplasia in children and adolescents. For this reason, our understanding of these tumors is still quite limited. Although the complete surgical resection is the key to successful management of all malignant adolescence pancreatic tumors, the information on the possible role of chemotherapy and radiation in recurrent, unresectable, or metastatic cases is purely anecdotal. The 17-year-old man transferred to our hospital with abnormal ultrasonographic findings. Result of abdominal ultrasonographic examination showed a mass in the upper abdomen. He presented with 6months history of intermittent abdominal pain and vomiting and diarrhea. A computed tomography (CT) scan and magnetic resonance showed a 4.5 x 6 cm mass in the head of the pancreas. An ultrasound-guided core biopsy confirmed an pancreatoblastoma or pancreas islet cell tumor. On operative findings, there was locally advanced, unresectable tumor within the pancreatic head. We report a 17-years-old man patient with non-functional panceratic islet cell carcinoma.