Idiopathic Retractile Calcific Mesenteritis: a Rare Cause of Small Bowel Obstruction

Retractile mesenteritis is an idiopathic rare disorder characterized by fibrosis and calcification of the mesentery. We report a case of a 70-year-old female patient who presented to the surgical emergency with small bowel obstruction. On exploratory laparotomy, small bowel loops were dilated and clumped together in the pelvis with kinking of terminal ileum. Small bowel mesentery was inflamed, fibrosed, and shortened with patterned calcifications. Mesentery of sigmoid colon, transverse mesocolon, and greater omentum also had similar findings. Rest of the peritoneum and solid organs were grossly normal. We present the clinical images of this rare condition where finding the etiology for this condition was a challenging task.