Primary omental torsion with massive necrosis

Abstract

A 61-year-old male patient presented to our hospital’s emergency department with a history of worsening abdominal
pain. The symptoms began as epigastric pain and later localized to the right lower quadrant. On physical examination,
there was rebound tenderness mainly in the right lower quadrant and in the right upper quadrant. The laboratory results
showed leukocytosis. Abdominopelvic computed tomography scan revealed that a definite twisting on the long axis with
three complete counter-clockwise turns was observed in the vascular structures of greater omentum. At operation, the
greater omentum was found to be twisted and gangrenous. The infarcted omentum was ligated at the pedicle and excised.
Primary torsion of the omentum is one of the uncommon causes of acute abdominal pain. Although rarely diagnosed,
the entity is important to the surgeon because it mimics the common causes of the acute surgical abdomen. Omental
torsion usually occurs on the right side. Abdominal pain starts suddenly after a heavy meal or hard exercise, and is not
accompanied with nausea, vomiting and anorexia. Abdominal computed tomography may show peculiar features suggestive of omental torsion. Treatment consists of ligation and resection of the involved portion of the omentum and recovery is usually rapid, uneventful and complete.
Primary omental torsion should be considered in the differential diagnosis of acute abdomen. The surgeon must remain
aware of the disease and search for it if, at laparotomy, other adequate cause is not found to explain the symptoms,
especially if free sero-sanguineous fluid is found in the peritoneal cavity.