[A 56-year-old man with abdominal pain, intermittent claudication and a retroperitoneal mass].

OBJECTIVE

To describe an additional case of idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis.

METHODS/

RESULTS

A 56-year-old man consulted for abdominal pain and previous symptoms of intermittent claudication. A CT scan disclosed a retroperitoneal mass, for which reason the patient was submitted to surgery. Analysis of the biopsy specimen demonstrated retroperitoneal fibrosis.

CONCLUSION

Although the clinical diagnosis of this disease is usually based on the CT findings, a histological analysis of the biopsy specimen provides a definitive diagnosis and permits intraperitonization of the ureters, which is the widely accepted treatment, during the same surgical session.