Torsion of caecal appendices epiploicae: mimicking acute appendicitis

Acute appendicitis is a common cause for pain in the right iliac fossa, which requires urgent surgical intervention. However, at the time of surgery, if the appendix is normal, the surgeon has to search for other causes of acute abdominal pain including rare etiologies, such as torsion of appendices epiploicae and subsequently its gangrene. We report the case of a 45 years old female who presented with right lower abdominal pain, rebound tenderness and guarding in right iliac fosse, with regular menstrual cycles and no urinary complaints. Investigation revealed leucocytosis and ultra-sonography abdomen was suggestive of an inflamed appendix in the right iliac fossa with free fluid. Intra-operatively, we found a normal appendix with gangrene of the appendices epiploicae which had undergone torsion. She underwent excision off appendices epiploicae with appendicectomy with uneventful post-operative period. Histopathology of the appendices was suggestive of congestion.  Preoperative diagnosis of this condition is rarely made.

Epiploic appendagitis with acute pyelonephritis: a case report

Coexistence of acute epiploic appendagitis with acute pyelonephritis is a rare occurrence. Present study report here a case of a 36-year-old male with a past history of appendectomy presenting with complaints of pain abdomen, nausea, increased frequency of micturition and dysuria. On examination, there was tenderness and guarding in the left iliac fossa. CECT abdomen revealed resolving acute epiploic appendagitis with acute pyelonephritis. He was managed conservatively with antibiotics and anti-inflammatory agents to which he responded. Thus, epiploic appendagitis is a benign self-limiting condition which when diagnosed early prevents unnecessary surgical interventions.

Epiploic Appendagitis: An uncommon surgical diagnosis

Epiploic appendagitis or appendices epiploicae, is a rare cause of abdominal pain in patients with mild signs of abdominal pathology. It mimics diverticulitis or appendicitis clinically as there are no pathognomonic features. It is a surgical diagnosis presenting with localised, sharp, acute abdominal pain, not associated with symptoms like nausea, vomiting, fever or suggestive laboratory values. With the availability of abdominal CT scans and ultrasound, it will frequently be a differential diagnosis preventing unnecessary surgery for patients. However, it may be erroneous and therefore clinical judgement is of paramount importance. This report highlights this rare presentation and identifies management guidelines. KEY WORDS: Epiploic appendagitis; Appendices epiploicae; Appendicitis; Diverticulitis

Giant Peritoneal Loose Body in the Pelvic Cavity

We report a case of a large peritoneal loose body diagnosed on computed tomography. The most common causes of a peritoneal loose body are thought to be torsion and separation of the appendices epiploicae. Peritoneal loose bodies are usually small, 0.5 to 2.5 cm in diameter. However, "giant" peritoneal loose bodies, larger than 4 cm in diameter, are an uncommon disease and present with various symptoms, and are difficult to diagnose preoperatively. Especially, abdominal large peritoneal loose bodies are frequently misdiagnosed as tumorous disease preoperatively. In our case, the loose body appeared as a round pelvic mass with central calcifications and a distinct fat plane separating it from adjacent organs. Preoperatively, we suspected a tumorous lesion from the wall of the upper rectum; however, at laparoscopy, a large peritoneal loose body was detected. An extraction of the giant peritoneal loose body was performed laparoscopically.