Small bowel liposarcoma--a rare cause of small bowel perforation

BMJ Case Rep. 2010 Oct 28:2010:bcr1020092364. doi: 10.1136/bcr.10.2009.2364.

Abstract

A 76-year-old patient was admitted with right-sided lower abdominal pain. CT scan of the abdomen demonstrated a fatty mass arising around the bowel in the left iliac fossa causing local distortion of the vasculature. His clinical condition rapidly deteriorated with worsening abdominal signs necessitating an exploratory laparotomy. A segment of perforated small bowel associated with mesenteric mass was excised and the patient died 3 days later. The histology demonstrated a well-differentiated liposarcoma. Liposarcomas are the most common soft tissue sarcomas in adults but occurrence in the gastrointestinal tract is extremely rare. The clinical presentation of these tumours is frequently non-specific and commonest symptoms are generalised, intermittent abdominal pain. Surgical resection with clear margins is the treatment of choice for primary liposarcomas. They are moderately radiosensitive and chemotherapy is non-effective. Although gastrointestinal liposarcomas have been previously reported, this is the first reported case of a primary liposarcoma associated with a small bowel perforation.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Humans
  • Ileal Diseases / diagnosis
  • Ileal Diseases / etiology
  • Ileal Neoplasms / complications
  • Ileal Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Intestinal Perforation / diagnosis
  • Intestinal Perforation / etiology*
  • Liposarcoma / complications
  • Liposarcoma / diagnosis*
  • Male