Mesenteric panniculitis: A rare entity, report of two cases with review of the literature

Abstract

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. Mesenteric panniculitis of the sigmoid colon is an extremely rare occurrence in surgical practice. The specific etiology of the disease is unknown. The diagnosis is suggested by computed tomography (CT) 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 are reporting two cases of mesenteric panniculitis of the sigmoid colon, one of which was associated with carcinoma.

Keywords

• Colon
• computed tomography (CT)
• mesenteric panniculitis