[Mesenteric lipomatosis. A rare disease often misdiagnosed as ascites].

A 53-year-old man, a known alcoholic, was admitted to hospital, because of abdominal swelling, with the admission diagnosis of ascites. Treated with diuretics a severe hypokalaemia developed with subileus and moderate clouding of consciousness. Computed tomography revealed the correct diagnosis of intraabdominal extraperitoneal (mesenteric, pelvic, retroperitoneal) soft-tissue lipomatosis.