Solitary Fibrous Tumour A rare cause of acute abdomen

Abstract

Solitary Fibrous Tumours(SFT), previously known as haemangiopericytoma, are rarely encountered in surgery. They arise from mesenchyme tissue and can occur at several sites in the body – head and neck, extremities, thorax, abdomen and retroperitoneal space. In the thorax, where they arise from the pleura, and abdomen they may attain a large size before giving rise to symptoms. Most SFT behave in a benign manner. However a number of them recur locally or metastasize. Recurrences can occur several years after excision of the primary tumour. Complete surgical excision remains the primary modality of treatment. But, in sites where complete excision is not possible, other modalities have been tried with varying success. Here, we describe a SFT of the mesentery of the small intestine, an uncommon manifestation of the tumour, recurring after a period of 19 years in a 55 year old female, and presenting to the Emergency Department as an acute abdomen caused by acute intestinal obstruction. Surgical excision of the tumour was performed together with primary anastomosis of the small intestine.