Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis: Review

Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis (sep) is a rare chronic inflammatory condition of the peritoneum with an unknown aetiology. also known as abdominal cocoon,the condition occurs when loops of the bowel are encased within the peritoneal cavity by a membrane,leading to intestinal obstruction. due to its rarity and non-specific clinical features,it is often misdiagnosed. the condition presents with recurrent episodes of small bowel obstruction and can be idiopathic or secondary; the latter is associated with predisposing factors such as peritoneal dialysis or abdominal tuberculosis. in the early stages,patients can be managed conservatively; however,surgical intervention is necessary for those with advanced stage intestinal obstruction. a literature review revealed 118 cases of sep; the mean age of these patients was 39 years and 68.0% were male. the predominant presentation was abdominal pain (72.0%),distension (44.9%) or a mass (30.5%). almost all of the patients underwent surgical excision (99.2%) without postoperative complications (88.1%). © 2016,sultan qaboos university. all rights reserved.