Abstract
A case of abdominopelvic and retroperitoneal lipomatosis seen in the Department of Gastroenterology at the Ibnoud Rochd Teaching Hospital in Casablanca is reported. The only clinical findings in this 60-year-old female were obesity and presence of an abdominal mass with no renal or digestive repercussions. Physical evaluation and conventional roentgenographic investigations only suggested the diagnosis. The CT scan study showed that the mass was composed of fat, specified its location and extension, and outruled the other causes of fatty tissue accumulation on the basis of density measurements. Treatment of this condition of unknown etiology is palliative. Usually a wait and see attitude with periodic monitoring of renal function is elected. However, in the case reported here the huge abdominal and retroperitoneal mass was removed surgically in two stages. Postoperative course was favorable with the exception of necrotizing and hemorrhagic pancreatitis which had a favorable outcome under therapy. Follow-up is now two years. This case is compared with similar reports in the literature.