Omental torsion - A mimicker of the acute appendicitis - A case report

INTRODUCTION: Omental torsion is due to the twisting of the omentum along its axis and is observed in young male patients. The first description of omental torsion was first made by Eitel in 1899. CASE PRESENTATION: A 35-year-old male presented with right iliac fossa pain, nausea, occasional vomiting and loss of appetite for four days. His clinical and radiological findings were suggestive of acute appendicitis. However, he was diagnosed with greater omental torsion intraoperatively and successfully managed with laparoscopic omentectomy. DISCUSSION: Omental torsion is a rare condition with a low incidence. Preoperative diagnosis of omental torsion continues to be a challenge as the symptoms reported in the literature are usually confused with other abdominal pathologies such as appendicitis or cholecystitis etc. Preoperative US or CT scans are mandatory, and these procedures can accurately accomplish the pre-operative diagnosis. In search for the treatment of choice, laparoscopy proved its effectiveness as a diagnostic tool since it allows for confirming the diagnosis, evaluating the severity of the ischemia, and ruling out other surgical pathologies and therapeutic tools. At the same time, the open surgery approach can be described in many cases as being too invasive. CONCLUSION: Greater omental torsion should be considered a differential diagnosis in all patients with acute abdominal emergencies.