Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis: Report of a case and review of literature

Abstract

Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis (SEP) is a rare clinical condition that occurs secondary to a triggering factor such as peritoneal dialysis. The condition entails the encasement of a part of or entire small bowel in a fibro-collagenous membrane, causing subacute, acute, or chronic bowel obstruction. This case report presents a middle-aged man with recurring episodes of vague abdominal pain. The clinical examination and investigations showed small-bowel obstruction mostly focused around the previous area of mesh placement for umbilical hernia repair. The abdominal exploration showed a fibrous sac encasing the small-bowel loops, which necessitated adhesiolysis. Most of the fibrous encapsulating membrane was removed. The patient made an uneventful recovery. The treating surgeons for patients with vague manifestations of small obstruction should have a high index suspicion for rare causes of abdominal pain such as SEP.