title: Mesenteric fibromatosis: a rare cause of acute abdominal pain.
abstract: A 45-year-old man, with a previous history of astrocytoma, presented with diffuse abdominal pain. A CT scan was non-specific and the pain worsened; his abdomen became peritonitic on examination. An exploratory laparotomy was performed, and a large small bowel mesenteric mass was found together with an associated haematoma. Subsequent histology showed the tumour to be a benign fibromatosis, and the patient recovered uneventfully. There were no reports in the literature of any association between astrocytomas and fibromatosis. Mesenteric fibromatosis is a rare tumour often associated with Gardner's syndrome. It can present in a multitude of ways and the only definite treatment is surgical resection.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Hemel Hempstead Hospital, UK. rob.bethune@doctors.net.uk
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bethune
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Amin
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D000208:Acute Disease; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000150:complications; D003108:Colonic Diseases / Q000150:complications; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005350:Fibroma / Q000150:complications*; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications; D006406:Hematoma / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007077:Ileal Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008643:Mesentery; D008875:Middle Aged