Persistent ascites due to sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis mimicking ovarian carcinoma: A case report

Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis,also known as ‘cocoon syndrome’,is a rare cause of bowel obstruction. the condition might be congenital or acquired and has non-specific symptomatology. abdominal pain occurs due to the limitation of intestinal motility or segment obstruction by a thick homogenous fibrotic mantle covering the intra-peritoneal organs. altered peritoneal fluid dynamics result in persistent ascites. leading pathogenic theories are not well defined,but genetic factors,retrograde trans-tubal flow of causative agents,peritoneal infections,medications and peritoneal invasive procedures are all thought to play a role. there are no specific diagnostic criteria and exact diagnosis is only confirmed during surgery when the investing thick fibrous folds covering the bowel loops are visualised. we present here a case that had been suspected to have an ovarian malignancy due to a huge abdominal heterogeneous mass and ascites on preoperative diagnostic workup,but had a final diagnosis of abdominal cocoon syndrome made during surgery. © 2014 by the turkish-german gynecological education and research foundation.