DIGESTIVE SURGERY, vol.19, no.5, pp.422-424, 2002 (SCI-Expanded)
The abdominal cocoon is a rare disease that is characterized by a total or partial encasement of the small bowel by a thick and fibrotic membrane. Thirty-five cases were reported since it was first described. It occurs primarily in females. Preoperative diagnosis is a matter of challenge and usually made at laparotomy. We report a patient with partial intestinal obstruction and abdominal cocoon which was diagnosed peri-operatively. We review the literature and discuss the etiology of this disease. Copyright (C) 2002 S. KargerAG, Basel.