title: [Primary epiploic appendagitis: clinical features in 73 cases].
abstract: Primary epiploic appendagitis is a relatively rare disease in the differential diagnosis of acute abdomen, nonetheless it is an entity that should not be ignored by physicians and surgeons in order to prevent unnecessary interventions and overuse of antibiotics. To substantiate this concept a search was conducted at the Hospital Aleman, Buenos Aires between April 2007 and July 2013. The aim was clinical histories containing sonographic and tomographic images with diagnosis of omental appendagitis; and subsequently their electronic medical records were reviewed. The clinical features and outcome of a case series of 73 primary omental appendagitis were selected; the mean age was 45 years (± 16); 54 (74%) were men. Abdominal pain (left lower quadrant in 89% of cases) was the most common symptom. Abdominal ultrasound was performed on 44 (60%) of patients, computed tomography on 21 (29%), and both studies on 8 (11%) of cases in this series. In 49% of cases surgery consultation was requested. Fifteen patients (21%) were treated with antibiotics, 73% of them were prescribed by a clinician. Sixty seven patients (92%) were treated as outpatients with non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs); two required laparoscopic surgery, two required hospitalization and two others were treated with opioids. Epiploic apendagitis is uncommon in the differential diagnosis of acute abdomen, but is an entity that should not be ignored by physicians to prevent unnecessary interventions and overuse of antibiotics.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Clínica Médica, Hospital Alemán, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Graciela M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Vázquez
authors.forename: Matías E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Manzotti
authors.forename: Graciana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Alessandrini
authors.forename: Sofía
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lemos
authors.forename: María Clara
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Perret
authors.forename: Hugo N
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Catalano
mesh_terms: D000006:Abdomen, Acute / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D000328:Adult; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003092:Colitis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D035583:Rare Diseases; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal
keywords: adbominal pain; appendagitis; primary epiploic appendagitis