title: Polyarteritis nodosa. An unusual cause of acute abdomen.
abstract: Two cases of acute abdomen operated on twice and biopsy specimens confirmed are presented. The diagnosis of a systemic necrotizing vasculitis group of polyarteritis nodosa was established. The syndrome affects predominantly males between the second and forth decade of life. The gastrointestinal tract is involved in approximately 50% of the cases. While a negative laparotomy may be considered as a surgical pit-fall, nevertheless, it is the only way of establishing the diagnosis and treating the complications of the disease in some of the cases.
authors.affiliation: 1st Department of Surgery, University of Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Papalambros
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Felekuras
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bastounis
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Panayotopoulos
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Balas
mesh_terms: D000006:Abdomen, Acute / Q000209:etiology*; D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D007813:Laparotomy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010488:Polyarteritis Nodosa / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery