![]() ![]() The authors of this historic study also concluded that the most appropriate term for the process was “sclerosing mesenteritis” based on the presence of some degree of fibrosis. examined three entities (sclerosing mesenteritis, mesenteric panniculitis, and mesenteric lipodystrophy) and confirmed that there was a great deal of histologic overlap between the three entities and suggested that they are all manifestations of the same condition. Mesenteric panniculitis refers to the manifestation of the disease with a predominance of inflammation, sclerosing mesenteritis (or retractile mesenteritis) is the term that refers to a form of the disease with a predominance of fibrosis and mesenteric lipodystrophy refers to disease with a histologic predominance of fat necrosis.Įmory et al. These names denote the predominant features of the disease process in the mesentery. Since that time, alternative names have been used to describe the condition including mesenteric panniculitis, retractile mesenteritis and mesenteric lipodystrophy. Mesenteric panniculitis was first described in the medical literature in 1924 as “retractile mesenteritis”. In some patients, ongoing inflammation can result in scarring (fibrosis) of the mesentery. The condition progresses to cause chronic inflammation of the mesentery. Individuals with mesenteric panniculitis develop inflammation and necrosis of the fatty tissue of the mesentery, especially in the area of the small bowel. Mesenteric panniculitis is a rare disorder that is part of a spectrum of diseases affecting the mesentery, a continuous organ that extends from the duodenojejunal flexure to the mesorectum that supports and attaches the intestines to the abdominal wall. Nonetheless, corticosteroids and other medications directed at lowering the degree of inflammation and other medications that improve symptoms are felt to be the mainstay of treatment for mesenteric panniculitis. Due to the rarity of mesenteric panniculitis, there is little prospective data available on its treatment. There is limited information on the natural history of mesenteric panniculitis, but a stable clinical course is generally anticipated. However, not every patient suspected of having the disease will require a biopsy. Tissue biopsy is required to secure the diagnosis of mesenteric panniculitis and rule out neoplastic infiltration of the mesentery. Due to its variable clinical presentation and rarity, the diagnosis of mesenteric panniculitis is often delayed. A computerized tomogram (CT) or other imaging of the abdomen shows thickening of the mesentery, sometimes with lymph node enlargement. Systemic symptoms, especially fatigue, commonly occur in patients with mesenteric panniculitis. Some individuals have few or no noticeable symptoms others may be greatly affected by a variety of complaints including abdominal pain, nausea/vomiting, bloating, early satiety, loss of appetite and diarrhea or constipation. Although the exact cause of mesenteric panniculitis remains unknown, the disease has been associated with a variety of other conditions, including neoplasms, other autoimmune diseases and abdominal trauma.Ĭlinical symptoms of mesenteric panniculitis are highly variable. The portion of the mesentery that is adjacent to the small intestine is most often affected in mesenteric panniculitis. Recently, the anatomy of the mesentery has been clarified and the mesentery has been found to represent a continuous organ that extends from the duodenojejunal flexure to the mesorectum. Anatomists previously considered it to be a fragmented collection of intra-abdominal connective tissue. ![]() The mesentery contains fat, blood vessels, lymphatic tissue, lymphatic vessels and other forms of connective tissue. The mesentery is a fold of tissue within the peritoneum that supports and attaches the small and large intestines to the walls of the abdomen. There is currently limited understanding of the progression of events that lead to the development of mesenteric panniculitis. This inflammatory and at times progressive condition is most consistent with autoimmune disorders. Mesenteric panniculitis is characterized by fat degeneration and necrosis, chronic inflammation, and at times, scarring and fibrosis of fatty tissue within the mesentery. Mesenteric panniculitis, also known as sclerosing mesenteritis, belongs to a spectrum of rare diseases of the fatty (adipose) tissue of the mesentery. Stay Informed With NORD’s Email Newsletter.Find a Rare Disease Patient Organization.Rare Disease Cures Accelerator (RDCA-DAP).Find Clinical Trials & Research Studies.Launching Registries & Natural History Studies.A Podcast For The Rare Disease Community. ![]()
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