Peritoneal sarcoidosis: Case report and review of the literature

Objectives: This study was performed to report a patient with peritoneal sa rcoidosis and review the literature for similar cases. Methods: We described the clinical presentation, course, and outcome of the patient, and reviewed the medical literature from 1966 till 1997 using MED LINE and the key words sarcoidosis, scar, and peritoneum. Results: Our patient presented with a rapidly growing tumor-like mass at th e site of an old appendectomy scar. Laparoscopy showed a large peritoneal m ass and multiple small peritoneal nodules that were found to be noncaseatin g granulomas by pathology. The MEDLINE search uncovered only 16 cases of pe ritoneal sarcoidosis, most of which presented with ascites. Conclusion: This case illustrates the need to consider sarcoidosis, in addi tion to infections and neoplasms, in the differential diagnosis of peritone al nodules and exudative ascites, Semin Arthritis Rheum 28:357-354. Copyrig ht (C) 1999 by W.B. Saunders Company.