Abstract
The patient was a man in his late 70s who had previously undergone multiple laparotomies. He began vomiting in late November of 2005, and first visited our hospital in December that year. At the examination his abdomen was distended and soft, with tenderness in the lower abdomen. Abdominal CT scan showed free air and dilated small intestine, ileus with intestinal perforation was diagnosed and emergency surgery was performed the same day. When the abdomen was opened, a thickened fibrous membrane was found surrounding the entire small intestine, with a portion necrotized, as seen through the fibrous membrane. It was diagnosed from intraoperative findings as encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis (EPS) with strangulation ileus, and adhesiolysis with partial resection of the small intestine was performed.
This case of EPS caused by multiple laparotomies is considered a comparatively rare condition. The mechanism of the development of the strangulation ileus is not clear, and we report it with some bibliographic discussion.
