Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis (SEP), also called encapsulating
peritonitis, is a rare and benign cause of intestinal obstruction of unknown
etiology. Its onset may be acute or subacute although there are some reports
with a two-month history. More commonly, this entity is secondary to chronic
peritoneal dialysis, ventriculoperitoneal and peritoneovenous shunting, the
use of β-blockers and systemic lupus erythematous. Recurrent episodes of
bacterial peritonitis, intestinal tuberculosis, sarcoidosis, familial Mediterranean
fever, gastrointestinal cancer, liver transplantation, intra-abdominal fibrogenic
foreign bodies, and luteinized ovarian thecomas are also related to SEP.
The idiopathic presentation is more rare. Abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting,
weight loss, malnutrition, and clinically palpable mass characterize the clinical
features. Diagnosis is frequently made with gross findings during surgery,
imaging workup and histopathology. The authors report the case of a 36-yearold
male patient with a 10-day history of abdominal pain that was operated
on because of intestinal obstruction. Diagnosis was made preoperatively and
confirmed by the intraoperative findings and histopathology.
