Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis: three case reports and review of the literature

Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis (SEP) is a disease that is rarely encountered clinically. Preoperative diagnosis of SEP can be difficult. However, with imaging technology, such as computed tomography (CT), this condition can be diagnosed without surgery and pathological analysis. SEP is characterized by small intestine being partially or completely encased by a layer of a thick grayish-white fibrocollagenous membrane similar to a cocoon. The most common symptoms of SEP are abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. SEP often leads to intestinal obstruction. Our hospital treated three emergency patients who complained of acute or chronic abdominal pain. CT showed “cauliflower sign” in two cases. The three patients were diagnosed with SEP intraoperatively. In a female patient with ascites, the situation was extremely serious, and this condition had not been reported in detail previously. Fortunately, all patients were discharged without complications. We should pay special attention to patients with SEP who have ascites, which indicates a serious situation.