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Case Reports
. 2022 Oct 3;14(10):e29871.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.29871. eCollection 2022 Oct.

Unresectable Mesenteric Mass Causing Small Bowel Obstruction

Mary Zahnle  1 , Sean M McCormack  2 , Frederick Tiesenga  3 , Juaquito Jorge  4
Affiliations
Case Reports

Unresectable Mesenteric Mass Causing Small Bowel Obstruction

Mary Zahnle et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Small bowel obstruction (SBO) has a variety of etiologies, including but not limited to adhesions, malignancy, hernia, and inflammatory bowel diseases. Treatment for SBO may be nonoperative or operative, depending on the underlying condition and clinical symptoms. Clinical judgment and radiological findings cooperate in formulating an appropriate assessment and treatment plan. Mass effect due to malignancy is an indication for surgical intervention, as tumor resection is a mainstay of treatment. However, patient safety and chances of vascular compromise must be considered when determining if the tumor is resectable. Reported is a case of a 65-year-old female with severe abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and obstipation due to a malignant neuroendocrine tumor within the mesentery adjacent to the aortic bifurcation. Management included surgical intervention to alleviate bowel obstruction and biopsy of the tumor.

Keywords: abdominal pain; net; neuroendocrine tumor; neuroendocrine tumor (net); sbo; small bowel obstruction; unresectable.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. CT of the abdomen and pelvis without contrast, supine position, axial view displaying distended loops of small bowel, and adhesions near the NET (arrowheads) taken at initial ER presentation.
NET: neuroendocrine tumor
Figure 2
Figure 2. CT of the abdomen and pelvis without contrast, supine position, coronal view displaying distended loops of small bowel, and adhesions near the NET (arrowheads) taken at initial ER presentation.
NET: neuroendocrine tumor
Figure 3
Figure 3. CT of the abdomen and pelvis without contrast, supine position, sagittal view displaying distended loops of small bowel, and adhesions near the NET (arrowheads) taken at initial ER presentation.
NET: neuroendocrine tumor
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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