title: [Epiploic appendagitis: a rare cause of abdominal pain].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Epiploic appendagitis is an atypical cause of abdominal pain whose knowledge could avoid diagnostic or treatment errors. Diagnosis has been performed with abdominal ultrasound or tomography with the only treatment being nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To analyze patients diagnosed in our hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a 4-year retrospective and descriptive study (March 2009-March 2013) of patients diagnosed with epiploic appendagitis in our hospital.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventeen patients were included, 14 females and three males with a median age of 57 years. Symptom delay was 72 h. Abdominal pains were located in the left lower quadrant in 64.7% and right lower quadrant in 35.3% of patients. Blood test demonstrated leukocytes 6,300 (5,000-9,500), neutrophils 61.6% (57-65.8), and C reactive protein 1.5 (0.85-2.92). Diagnosis was confirmed with abdominal ultrasound or tomography in 88.2% and intraoperatively in 11.8%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Epiploic appendagitis was more frequent in women. Abdominal pain was located in the lower quadrant, more predominant in left than right. Blood tests were normal except for increased levels of C-reactive protein. Diagnosis was made mostly preoperatively due to imaging tests, avoiding unnecessary surgical intervention.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cirugía General y Aparato Digestivo, Hospital Universitario San Juan de Alicante, Alicante, Spain. agmarin1980@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Andrés
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: García-Marín
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cirugía General y Aparato Digestivo, Hospital Universitario San Juan de Alicante, Alicante, Spain.
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nofuentes-Riera
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cirugía General y Aparato Digestivo, Hospital Universitario San Juan de Alicante, Alicante, Spain.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mella-Laborde
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cirugía General y Aparato Digestivo, Hospital Universitario San Juan de Alicante, Alicante, Spain.
authors.forename: Mercedes
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pérez-López
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cirugía General y Aparato Digestivo, Hospital Universitario San Juan de Alicante, Alicante, Spain.
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pérez-Bru
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cirugía General y Aparato Digestivo, Hospital Universitario San Juan de Alicante, Alicante, Spain.
authors.forename: José María
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Rubio-Cerdido
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000175:diagnosis; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D003106:Colon / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D003108:Colonic Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007238:Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009852:Omentum / Q000098:blood supply; D015436:Panniculitis, Peritoneal / Q000175:diagnosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002097:C-Reactive Protein
keywords: abdomen agudo; acute abdomen; appendagitis; appendix epiploica; apéndice epiploico; torsion