Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis: differential diagnosis to peritoneal encapsulation and abdominal cocoon--a case report.

A 59 year old man presented with symptoms of partial bowel obstruction. Small bowel x-ray studies did not allow to identify the nature of the intestinal process in the upper ileum. At laparotomy small bowel encapsulation with a whitish membrane was encountered. Despite partial removal of this membrane small bowel obstruction persisted and two weeks postoperatively the patient died of peritonitis and cardiac insufficiency. Autopsy findings revealed massive fibrous adhesions in the abdomen with granulomatous inflammation. The presence of foreign body giant cells and bifringent crystals were characteristic for talcum powder. The latter suggested a causal role of an appendectomy 45 years earlier. The diagnosis of sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis as established in our patient needs to be separated from peritoneal encapsulation, a congenital malformation, and abdominal cocoon, which contains histological elements of inflammation. This case report should draw attention to these entities in the differential diagnosis and surgical management of small bowel obstruction.