Epiploic appendagitis: clinical and radiological aspects

Abstract

Epiploic appendagitis is an uncommon inflammatory abdominal disease. Data of 44 patients with a clinical diagnosis of appendagitis were retrospectively evaluated regarding laboratory and imaging findings. They were admitted to Barra D’Or Hospital, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, from February 2005 to September 2006. Eighty-two percent were male and 18 were female, with median age of 44.7 years. The most frequent laboratory findings were hematuria in urinalysis and leucocitosis, presenting in 5% of cases each. Diagnosis was obtained through computed tomography showing paracolic oval lesions, mainly over the descending colon in 52% of patients. Patients were treated with analgesics and anti-inflammatory in an outpatient basis. Recovery was uneventful under conservative treatment.

Abdominal pain; Adipose tissue; Tomography, spiral computed