Letters To The Editor Open Access
Copyright ©2009 The WJG Press and Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Dec 28, 2009; 15(48): 6139-6139
Published online Dec 28, 2009. doi: 10.3748/wjg.15.6139
Relationship between abdominal trauma or surgery and mesenteric panniculitis
Taylan Kara, Department of Radiology, Beyhekim State Hospital, Selçuklu, 42003, Konya, Turkey
Murat Canyigit, Department of Radiology, Ankara Ataturk Education and Research Hospital, Bilkent, 06800, Ankara, Turkey
Author contributions: Kara T and Canyigit M contributed equally to this letter, wrote and revised the paper.
Correspondence to: Murat Canyigit, MD, Department of Radiology, Ankara Ataturk Education and Research Hospital, Bilkent, 06800, Ankara, Turkey. mcanyigit@yahoo.com
Telephone: +90-312-2912525 Fax: +90-312-2912707
Received: October 10, 2009
Revised: November 27, 2009
Accepted: December 3, 2009
Published online: December 28, 2009

Abstract

Mesenteric panniculitis is a rare disease characterized by chronic non-specific inflammation of mesenteric fat tissue. Several etiologic and/or associated factors have been reported in the literature so far. Although trauma or surgery is one of the potential etiologic factors for mesenteric panniculitis, to the best of our knowledge, no strong correlation has been shown in the literature until now.

Key Words: Mesentery; Pathology; Mesenteric panniculitis; Trauma; Surgery



TO THE EDITOR

We read with a great interest the article “Mesenteric panniculitis: Various presentations and treatment regimens” by Issa et al[1] in the August issue of the World Journal of Gastroenterology.

Mesenteric panniculitis is a rare chronic inflammatory disorder of adipose tissue of the intestinal mesentery. This entity has several different names, such as mesenteric Weber-Christian disease, fibrosing mesenteritis, retractile mesenteritis, mesenteric lipodystrophy, and sclerosing mesenteritis. Its etiology still remains unclear, although a variety of possible causative and associated factors, such as infective and autoimmune causes, vascular insufficiency, prior abdominal surgery, and malignancy, have been reported[1-4].

Issa et al[1] reported that 84% of patients with mesenteric panniculitis have a history of abdominal trauma or surgery as its etiological factor[2]. However, the actually reported rate of trauma or surgery as an etiologic factor is 4.76% rather than 84%[2]. A same mistaken rate of 84% has also been reported in a case series[3], showing that trauma and surgery are closely correlated with mesenteric panniculitis. Upon reviewing the literature, we were not able to find this strong correlation in any study.

Several studies are available on the etiology of mesenteric panniculitis[1-4]. Daskalogiannaki et al[4] reported that mesenteric panniculitis is associated with 69.3% of malignancies, such as lymphoma, breast cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer and melanoma, demonstrating that mesenteric panniculitis is an associated and/or causative factor for malignancies. Although trauma or surgery is one of the potential etiologic factors, to the best of our knowledge, no strong correlation has been shown in the literature until now.

Footnotes

Peer reviewers: Eric S Hungness, MD, FACS, Assistant Professor, Division of Gastrointestinal and Oncologic Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 676 N. St. Clair St., Suite 650, Chicago, IL 60611-2908, United States; Dr. Pankaj Garg, Consultant, Department of General Surgery, Fortis Super Speciality Hospital, Mohali, Punjab, Panchkula, 134112, India; Raul J Rosenthal, MD, FACS, FASMBS, Affiliate Associate Professor of Surgery and Chairman, Section of Minimally Invasive Surgery, and The Bariatric and Metabolic Institute, Program Director, Fellowship in Minimally Invasive Surgery, Cleveland Clinic Florida, 2950 Cleveland Clinic Blvd, Weston, Florida, FL 33331, United States

S- Editor Wang YR L- Editor Wang XL E- Editor Lin YP

References
1.  Issa I, Baydoun H. Mesenteric panniculitis: various presentations and treatment regimens. World J Gastroenterol. 2009;15:3827-3830.  [PubMed]  [DOI]  [Cited in This Article: ]
2.  Emory TS, Monihan JM, Carr NJ, Sobin LH. Sclerosing mesenteritis, mesenteric panniculitis and mesenteric lipodystrophy: a single entity? Am J Surg Pathol. 1997;21:392-398.  [PubMed]  [DOI]  [Cited in This Article: ]
3.  Delgado Plasencia L, Rodríguez Ballester L, López-Tomassetti Fernández EM, Hernández Morales A, Carrillo Pallarés A, Hernández Siverio N. [Mesenteric panniculitis: experience in our center]. Rev Esp Enferm Dig. 2007;99:291-297.  [PubMed]  [DOI]  [Cited in This Article: ]
4.  Daskalogiannaki M, Voloudaki A, Prassopoulos P, Magkanas E, Stefanaki K, Apostolaki E, Gourtsoyiannis N. CT evaluation of mesenteric panniculitis: prevalence and associated diseases. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2000;174:427-431.  [PubMed]  [DOI]  [Cited in This Article: ]