Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis: A rare cause of intestinal obstruction in 2 patients

Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis is a very rare cause of intestinal obstruction. It usually follows peritoneal dialysis. The idiopathic form is also called abdominal cocoon and is more common in tropical and subtropical regions. We hereby present the clinical histories and imaging findings of 2 confirmed cases of sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis who presented with chronic symptoms of bowel obstruction.

Abdominal cocoon: A rare case report of a small bowel obstruction

INTRODUCTION

Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis (SEP), or abdominal cocoon, is a remarkably rare entity. It consists of a fibrous layer or cocoon-like sac encasing, in most cases, the small bowel. The lack of specific symptoms makes preoperative diagnosis challenging.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 50-year-old patient, with no history of abdominal surgery or medical diseases, was admitted for symptoms of small bowel obstruction. On examination, the patient was underweight with a BMI of 18 kg/m2. Vital signs were stable. His abdomen was mildly distended and soft. Abdominal CT scan showed signs in favor of a left paraduodenal hernia with incarcerated small bowel loops. Intraoperatively, the small bowels were encapsulated in a cocoon-like structure formed by thick fibrous tissue associated with multiple adhesions. Careful adhesiolysis with complete resection of the membrane was performed. The postoperative course was uneventful. One year later, the patient was symptom-free.

DISCUSSION

SEP is thought to be a persistent inflammatory disorder due to a cause that remains unidentified. It is divided into two categories based on its etiology: primary and secondary. The most common mode of SEP revelation is bowel obstruction. Because there is no clear consensus on SEP management, the therapeutic approach typically follows the management strategy of bowel obstruction.

CONCLUSION

SEP is an uncommon cause of bowel obstruction. Preoperative detection can be challenging in the absence of pathognomonic signs. Treatment is based on surgery, specifically entailing complete excision of the cocoon and adhesiolysis.

Successful treatment of sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis in a cat using bioresorbable hyaluronate-carboxymethylcellulose membrane after surgical adhesiolysis and long-term prednisolone

Case summary

An 8-year-old neutered male domestic shorthair indoor cat was presented with an 8-week history of intermittent vomiting, anorexia and weight loss that had been unresponsive to supportive treatment. Abdominal ultrasound revealed plication of the small intestine and fluid accumulation proximal to the lesion, and a linear foreign body was suspected. An exploratory celiotomy showed cocoon-like encapsulation of the entire intestine. Surgical adhesiolysis and full-thickness biopsy were performed, and histopathologic examination revealed mild thickening of the visceral peritoneum with fibrin deposition, as well as mild neutrophil and lymphocyte infiltration. These findings were compatible with sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis (SEP). The cat recovered well postoperatively and was discharged the next day. Prednisolone was administered for 7 weeks to prevent recurrence of SEP. Five months after surgery, the cat was re-presented with anorexia and chronic vomiting. Based on the clinical examination findings, recurrent SEP was suspected. At the second surgery, surgical adhesiolysis was repeated and a bioresorbable hyaluronate-carboxymethylcellulose membrane was used to cover the serosal surface and thus prevent adhesion formation. Histopathologic findings of the peritoneal biopsy specimen confirmed SEP. Long-term prednisolone treatment (1 mg/kg for the first dose and 0.5 mg/kg every 48 h for maintenance) was administered postoperatively. The cat survived for more than 1239 days without recurrence.

Relevance and novel information

To our knowledge, this is the first report of SEP in a cat with long-term survival. The use of a bioresorbable hyaluronate-carboxymethylcellulose membrane and long-term prednisolone treatment may have prevented short-term and long-term recurrence, respectively, in this case.

An incidental intra-operative finding of sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis, "abdominal cocoon" in an emergency presentation of small bowel obstruction, a case report

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE

Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis (SEP) is a disease characterized by a chronic inflammatory process in which the small intestines are encased by a dense fibrocollagenous membrane. In this article, we report a 57 year old male who presented with bowel obstruction secondary to sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis with an initial imaging suggesting internal hernia.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 57-year-old male, who presented to the emergency department at our center with a chronic persistent nausea and vomiting, associated with anorexia, constipation and weight loss, CT scan showed a transition zone seen at the duodeno-jejunal (DJ) junction and findings suggesting internal hernia, he was treated conservatively initially followed by a diagnostic laparoscopy that was converted to open with intraoperative findings of intra-abdominal cocoon rather than an internal hernia, managed with adhesolysis and discharged home in stable good condition.

CLINICAL DISCUSSION

There are multiple factors that could attribute to PSEP including cytokines, fibroblasts, and angiogenic factors, such patients might be asymptomatic or presenting with GI obstruction symptoms. The diagnosis of PSEP varying from abdominal x rays to contrast enhanced CT scan.

CONCLUSION

The management of PSEP depends on the presentation and should be individualized, weather conservative medical or surgical approach can be used.

A forensic case of abdominal cocoon syndrome

The term "cocoon syndrome" defines a sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis (SEP) that involves a chronic fibrotic inflammatory reaction of the parietal peritoneum and of the viscera leading to a complete sclerosis. The cocoon that is formed causes an incarceration of the intestinal loops with severe complications leading to high mortality. We are presenting the case of a 15-year-old young man that underwent surgery for appendectomy and that was evaluated for having a regular abdominal state. During the post-surgery period, however, several episodes of intestinal occlusion required further surgical interventions leading to a right hemicolectomy. The presence of a fibrotic-adhesive ligneous peritonitis with blended intestinal loops, severely thickened walls, and intestinal scaring stenosis was observed during his second surgical operation. A stenosis of the colostomy led to a worsening of the vital signs of the young man with the onset of a cardiac failure and subsequent decease. Macroscopic autopsy examination and histological analysis confirmed the severe obstructive adhesive encapsulating abdominal context allowing to trace back the cause of death to a cocoon syndrome. Since no predisposing factor could be found, we hypothesized that this case could be characterized by an excessive peritoneal reactivity due to surgical appendectomy. Cocoon syndrome is a rare pathology, and its microscopic features are seldomly observed and could be underestimated. We present a directly observed case with a very substantial macroscopic and microscopic context.

Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis in a dog with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis (SEP) is a rare clinical syndrome characterised by fibrosis and thickening of the peritoneum with massive adhesions of the abdominal organs. In humans, abdominal tumours, such as pancreatic adenocarcinoma, can be underlying diseases of SEP. This report describes a case of SEP in a dog with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

CASE PRESENTATION

An 11-year-old male neutered French Bulldog presented with chronic vomiting. Ultrasonography revealed a mass in the centre of the abdomen. A small amount of ascites, interpreted as modified transudate, was present in the abdominal cavity. Computed tomography (CT) revealed peritoneal effusion with a thickened peritonium. Laparoscopy revealed a large nodular lesion occupying the central portion of the abdomen, continuous with the falciform ligament. Histological examination of the biopsy specimens of the mass, abdominal wall, and gastric peritoneum revealed marked fibroplasia with mild lymphoplasmacytic infiltrates. Based on these results, a tentative diagnosis of early stage sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis (SEP) was made. Prednisolone and tamoxifen were administered with the expectation of ameliorating SEP, however, the dog died 61 days post diagnosis. At autopsy, the intestinal loop and mesentery were encased in the fibrous membrane, which is a typical finding in SEP. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry of the samples obtained at autopsy supported the diagnosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma with peritoneal dissemination and distant metastasis with desmoplasia. The unexpectedly hardened skin, where previously laparoscopic ports were inserted, histologically contained the same carcinoma cells with desmoplasia.

CONCLUSIONS

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of canine SEP with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma that also caused metastasis to port insertion sites as well as distant organs.

A Diagnostic Dilemma for Acute Abdomen: Sclerosing Encapsulating Peritonitis (Abdominal Cocoon Syndrome); A Retrospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis (SEP) is a rare cause of acute abdomen and can be easily misdiagnosed. Preoperative diagnosis of the SEP can be performed with preoperative imaging studies. We aimed to evaluate the clinical features of ileus cases who were diagnosed with primary or secondary SEP in the last five years.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study evaluated the patients who were admitted with ileus or acute abdomen symptoms to the Emergency Department of Elazığ Training and Research Hospital and underwent surgery by the same surgical team of General Surgery Department between January 2014 and January 2019. Patients who were diagnosed with primary or secondary SEP were included. The demographic data, clinical presentation, whether the disease was primary or secondary, the treatment options performed and mortality rates were evaluated.

RESULTS

SEP was observed in 11 of the patients. Ten patients underwent surgery (90.9%), and one patient (9.1%) was treated conservatively. Of the patients, six had secondary SEP (54.5%) and five had primary SEP (45.5%). In total, five patients were female (45.5%) and six were male (54.5%). The median age of the patients was 35 years (24-69). The median age of the patients with primary disease was 48 (29-69) years, while the median age of patients with secondary disease was 34.5 (24-64) years. One patient expired in the postoperative 8th hour.

CONCLUSION

SEP should be considered in the case of recurrent abdominal pain attacks, especially in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis, and it should be known that the mortality rate is high when misdiagnosed.

Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis: three case reports and review of the literature

Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis (SEP) is a disease that is rarely encountered clinically. Preoperative diagnosis of SEP can be difficult. However, with imaging technology, such as computed tomography (CT), this condition can be diagnosed without surgery and pathological analysis. SEP is characterized by small intestine being partially or completely encased by a layer of a thick grayish-white fibrocollagenous membrane similar to a cocoon. The most common symptoms of SEP are abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. SEP often leads to intestinal obstruction. Our hospital treated three emergency patients who complained of acute or chronic abdominal pain. CT showed "cauliflower sign" in two cases. The three patients were diagnosed with SEP intraoperatively. In a female patient with ascites, the situation was extremely serious, and this condition had not been reported in detail previously. Fortunately, all patients were discharged without complications. We should pay special attention to patients with SEP who have ascites, which indicates a serious situation.

Abdomen cocoon causing chronic abdominal pain and intestinal obstruction; a case series

Abdomen cocoon is a rare disease in which a thick peritoneal membrane wraps the intestine causing the bowel loops to adhere to each other. It may be either primary(idiopathic) or secondary to other causes like previous abdominal surgery. Most patients present with abdominal pain and intestinal obstruction. The condition is usually diagnosed intraoperatively.

Case 1

A 30-year-old male patient presented with abdominal pain and bilious vomiting. The patient had similar previous attacks. Examination showed distension abdominal distension with central tenderness. Plain abdominal X-ray showed multiple air fluid levels. During surgery most of ileum was enclosed by thin membrane with dilated proximal jejunum. Release of the bowel loops was done. The patient was well after surgery and was discharged with no post-operative complications.

Case 2

A 35-year old male presented with chronic right lower quadrant abdominal pain, the past medical and surgical histories were non-relevant. Abdominal examination showed tenderness on deep palpation at the right iliac fossa, abdominal ultrasound and abdominal X-ray were normal. During diagnostic laparoscopy the terminal ileum was enclosed with a thick whitish membrane with dilated proximal ileum. Release of the adhesions was done. The patient was well in the post-operative period and he was discharged home with no post-operative complications.

In both cases the biopsy from the membranes showed features of chronic inflammatory process.

Abdomen cocoon is one of the rare causes of small bowel obstruction. The bowel adhesions should be opened and nonviable segments resected. Most patients have good long term outcome.

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Abdomen cocoon is a rare disease in which a thick membrane wraps the intestine.

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It is either primary(idiopathic) or secondary to previous abdominal surgery.

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Most patients present with abdominal pain and intestinal obstruction which is usually diagnosed intraoperatively.

Encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis

Encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis (EPS) is a debilitating condition characterized by a fibrocollagenous membrane encasing the small intestine, resulting in recurrent small bowel obstructions. EPS is most commonly associated with long-term peritoneal dialysis, though medications, peritoneal infection, and systemic inflammatory disorders have been implicated. Many cases remain idiopathic. Diagnosis is often delayed given the rarity of the disorder combined with non-specific symptoms and laboratory findings. Although cross-sectional imaging with computed tomography of the abdomen can be suggestive of the disorder, many patients undergo exploratory laparotomy for diagnosis. Mortality approaches 50% one year after diagnosis. Treatment for EPS involves treating the underlying condition or eliminating possible inciting agents (i.e. peritoneal dialysis, medications, infections) and nutritional support, frequently with total parenteral nutrition. EPS-specific treatment depends on the disease stage. In the inflammatory stage, corticosteroids are the treatment of choice, while in the fibrotic stage, tamoxifen may be beneficial. In practice, distinguishing between stages may be difficult and both may be used. Surgical intervention, consisting of peritonectomy and enterolysis, is time-consuming and high-risk and is reserved for situations in which conservative medical therapy fails in institutions with surgical expertise in this area. Herein we review the available literature of the etiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of this rare, but potentially devastating disease.

Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis after living-donor liver transplantation: A case series, Kyoto experience

Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis (SEP), or abdominal cocoon is a rare cause of intestinal obstruction, and still etiology remains unknown. We report a series of 4 patients with abdominal cocoon, and all the 4 patients had previously undergone living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT). There was no evidence of SEP before and during LDLT. At the time of diagnosis of SEP, 3 out of 4 patients had ascites. First and fourth patients had multiple episodes or attacks of cholangitis, which were managed by percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage and hepaticojejunostomy, respectively. All 4 patients presented with intestinal obstruction and 3 of them underwent a successful operation. The fourth patient died due to liver failure and complications of the SEP. The first 3 patients are doing well without SEP recurrence. Our experience suggest that the prognosis of SEP is poor in patients with poor graft liver functions after LDLT.

Sclerosing Encapsulated Peritonitis: A devastating and infrequent disease complicating kidney transplantation, case report and literature review

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Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis is a rare and dangerous complication.

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Kidney transplanted patients with peritoneal dyalisis history are in risk of SEP.

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Adhesiolisis is the ideal surgical management for Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis.

Introduction

Sclerosing Encapsulating Peritonitis (SEP) is a rare condition with an incidence of up to 3% and a mortality of up to 51% among peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients (Brown et al., Korte et al. and Kawanishi et al.). In the last ten years, the incidence of SEP in kidney transplant recipients has increased (Nakamoto, de Sousa et al. and Korte et al.).

Presentation of case

A 31-year old male with a 15 years history of PD and later kidney retransplantation was admitted to the emergency service after experiencing several weeks of diffuse abdominal pain which had escalated to include vomiting and diarrhea during the 24 h previous to admission.

The patient underwent an exploratory laparotomy where severe peritoneal thickening was found, in addition to signs of chronic inflammation and blocked intestinal loops. Histopathologic findings were suggestive of sclerosing peritonitis. After two months of treatment in hospital, the patient presented an obstructed intestine, with a rigid and thickened peritoneum compromising all the intestinal loops.

Discussion

Despite being rare, SEP, represents a significant complication due to its high mortality and recurrence. It is insidious in its early stages and culminates in an intestinal obstruction (Fieren). Risk factors for its development in kidney transplant recipients include a history of prolonged treatment with PD and the use of calcineurin inhibitors as an immunosuppressive treatment (Korte et al.).

Conclusion

Given the increase in the incidence of SEP in kidney transplant recipients, the clinician should be alert to the presence of this complication. A greater number of multi-centre studies are required to identify the risk factors for SEP that are inherent in renal transplant recipients.

Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis: a case report

Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis, a rare cause of bowel obstruction, was described as a complication associated with peritoneal dialysis which is much feared because of its severity. The authors report a case where radiological findings in association with clinical symptoms have allowed for a noninvasive diagnosis of sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis, emphasizing the high sensitivity and specificity of computed tomography to demonstrate the characteristic findings of such a condition.

Encapsulating peritonitis: computed tomography and surgical correlation

Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis is a rare and frequently severe entity characterized by total or partial involvement of small bowel loops by a membrane of fibrous tissue. The disease presents with nonspecific clinical features of intestinal obstruction, requiring precise imaging diagnosis to guide the treatment. The present report emphasizes the importance of computed tomography in the diagnosis of this condition and its confirmation by surgical correlation.

Coexistence of abdominal cocoon, intestinal perforation and incarcerated Meckel’s diverticulum in an inguinal hernia: A troublesome condition

Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis (SEP) is a rare disease entity, in which the small intestine becomes encased and mechanically obstructed by a dense, fibrotic membrane. The disorder is characterized as either primary (idiopathic) or secondary to other causes. The idiopathic cases of SEP, which lack any identifiable etiology according to clinical, radiological and histopathological findings, are also reported under the designation of abdominal cocoon syndrome. The most frequent presenting symptoms of all SEP cases are nausea, vomiting, abdominal distention and inability to defecate, all of which are associated with the underlying intestinal obstruction. Persistent untreated SEP may advance to intestinal perforation, representing a life-threatening condition. However, preoperative diagnosis remains a particular clinical challenge, and most diagnoses are confirmed only when the typical fibrous membrane encasing the small intestine is discovered by laparotomy. Here, we report the clinical presentation of an 87-year-old male with signs of intestinal obstruction and the ultimate diagnosis of concurrent abdominal cocoon, right incarcerated Meckel’s diverticulum, and gastrointestinal perforation in laparotomy.

Abdominal cocoon: an unusual presentation of small bowel obstruction

Abdominal cocoon is a rare condition. It presents as a thick whitish membrane which covers bowel loops. Because of this presentation, it is also called as sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis. It is usually diagnosed intra operatively. Treatment of this condition involves resection of the membrane and release of adhesions. Pre-operatively, patient is investigated for recurrent episodes of small bowel obstructions. However, preoperative diagnosis does not change the treatment and management. Investigations done preoperatively help in expediting the treatment with planned laparotomy.

Abdominal cocoon-A rare cause of intestinal obstruction

INTRODUCTION

Abdominal cocoon syndrome is characterized by small bowel encapsulation by a fibro-collagenous membrane or "cocoon". It is a rare cause of intestinal obstruction.

PRESENTATION OF CASE

A 42-year old man presented with sub-acute intestinal obstruction. Intra-operatively, the entire small bowel was found to be encapsulated in a dense fibrous sac. The peritoneal sac was excised, followed by lysis of the inter-loop adhesions. Postoperative recovery was unremarkable.

DISCUSSION

Most patients with abdominal cocoon syndrome present with features of recurrent acute or chronic small bowel obstruction secondary to kinking and/or compression of the intestines within the constricting cocoon. An abdominal mass may also be present due to an encapsulated cluster of dilated small bowel loops.

CONCLUSION

Abdominal cocoon is a rare condition causing intestinal obstruction and diagnosis requires a high index of suspicion because of the nonspecific clinical picture. CECT of the abdomen is a useful radiological tool to aid in preoperative diagnosis. Peritoneal sac excision and adhesiolysis is the treatment and the outcome is usually satisfactory.

Abdominal cocoon: an unusual cause of subacute intestinal obstruction

We report an unusual cause of subacute intestinal obstruction in a young adolescent girl, which is a nontubercular abdominal cocoon. Barium meal follow-through revealed "cauliflower"-like appearance of small bowel. The patient underwent an exploratory laparotomy showing thick fibrous-like coverings which were encasing the small bowel loops to form an abdominal cocoon. Fibrocollagenous membrane was excised after adhesiolysis. Histopathological examination of membrane revealed fibrocollagenous membrane with hyaline deposition of nontubercular origin.

Peritoneal dialysis associated infections: An update on diagnosis and management

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is associated with a high risk of infection of the peritoneum, subcutaneous tunnel and catheter exit site. Although quality standards demand an infection rate < 0.67 episodes/patient/year on dialysis, the reported overall rate of PD associated infection is 0.24-1.66 episodes/patient/year. It is estimated that for every 0.5-per-year increase in peritonitis rate, the risk of death increases by 4% and 18% of the episodes resulted in removal of the PD catheter and 3.5% resulted in death. Improved diagnosis, increased awareness of causative agents in addition to other measures will facilitate prompt management of PD associated infection and salvage of PD modality. The aims of this review are to determine the magnitude of the infection problem, identify possible risk factors and provide an update on the diagnosis and management of PD associated infection. Gram-positive cocci such as Staphylococcus epidermidis, other coagulase negative staphylococcoci, and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) are the most frequent aetiological agents of PD-associated peritonitis worldwide. Empiric antibiotic therapy must cover both gram-positive and gram-negative organisms. However, use of systemic vancomycin and ciprofloxacin administration for example, is a simple and efficient first-line protocol antibiotic therapy for PD peritonitis - success rate of 77%. However, for fungal PD peritonitis, it is now standard practice to remove PD catheters in addition to antifungal treatment for a minimum of 3 wk and subsequent transfer to hemodialysis. To prevent PD associated infections, prophylactic antibiotic administration before catheter placement, adequate patient training, exit-site care, and treatment for S. aureus nasal carriage should be employed. Mupirocin treatment can reduce the risk of exit site infection by 46% but it cannot decrease the risk of peritonitis due to all organisms.

Idiopathic sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis (or abdominal cocoon): A report of 5 cases

Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis (SEP) is a rare cause of intestinal obstruction that is characterized by a thick grayish-white fibrotic membrane encasing the small bowel. SEP can be classified as idiopathic, also known as abdominal cocoon, or secondary. It is difficult to make a definite pre-operative diagnosis. We experienced five cases of abdominal cocoon, and the case files were reviewed retrospectively for the clinical presentation, operative findings and outcome. All the patients presented with acute, subacute and chronic intestinal obstruction. Computed tomography (CT) showed characteristic findings of small bowel loops congregated to the center of the abdomen encased by a soft-tissue density mantle in four cases. Four cases had an uneventful post-operative period, one case received second adhesiolysis due to persistent ileus. The imaging techniques may facilitate pre-operative diagnosis. Surgery is important in the management of SEP.

Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis in a liver transplant patient: A case report

We report a patient with HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and refractory ascites who had received a peritoneal-venous shunt (PVS) 1 year before liver transplantation. Urgent surgical intervention following bowel obstruction and failure of immunosuppression therapy. No intestinal obstruction was found during an initial PVS. However, intestinal obstruction developed 2 wk after liver transplantation; and a cocoon abdomen was found upon exploration. This is the first reported case of cocoon abdomen caused by PVS and exacerbated by liver transplantation.