SCLEROSING ENCAPSULATING PERITONITIS - PRIMARY AND SECONDARY FORMS

Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis (SEP), idiopathic or secondary, i s a form of intraperitoneal fibrosclerosis that causes intestinal obst ruction. In the case of a 41-year-old man with dialysis-induced SEP pr esented here, we show that intraperitoneal hemorrhage may play an impo rtant pathogenetic role and that the process may develop in less than or equal to 12 weeks. Regardless of cause, the treatment of obstructio n is operative, with dissection of the encasing membrane from the inte stine and separation of adherent loops of small bowel until they are l aid free and returned to their normal configuration. The prognosis aft er appropriate operative therapy is good but depends on coexisting dis eases.