A Case Report of Intramesocolic Abscess Caused by Penetration of a Sigmoid Diverticulum

Shigeyoshi Itoh, Akira Kubo, Takeshi Yamanouchi

Department of Surgery, Yokosuka City Municipal Hospital

A case of intramesocolic abscess caused by penetration of a sigmoid diverticulum is reported. A 52-year-old man was hospitalized with signs of lower abdominal pain and anal bleeding, Exploratory laparotomy was performed because signs of peritonitis appeared. It revealed an abscess 8.0×6.2×2.0 cm in the sigmoid mesentery. It was thought that the sigmoid diverticulum had ruptured between the leaves of the mesentery. The sigmoid colon with the intramesocolic abscess was resected. The cavity of the abscess contained 50 ml of pus. The postoperative course was not complicated. Intramesocolic abscesses are rare. Most reported cases were complicated because of the difficulty of diagnosing the intramesocolic abscess. Early surgical treatment should be performed to avoid a complicated postoperative course.

Key words
intramesocolic abscess, intramesenteric penetration, sigmoid diverticulitis

Reprint requests
Shigeyoshi Itoh Department of Surgery, Yokosuka City Municipal Hospital
1-3-2 Nagasaka, Yokosuka, 240-01 JAPAN

Accepted
October 7, 1992

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