Infarction of the greater omentum. Elusive cause of acute abdominal pain.

Omental infarction may be much more common than the number of cases reported in the literature would imply. The condition should be considered in the differential diagnosis of acute abdominal pain. A thorough search for it should be made in patients whose findings at laparotomy are not consistent with the preoperative diagnosis (usually acute appendicitis), especially when serosanguineous fluid is found in the peritoneal cavity. Treatment is excision of infarcted omentum to prevent formation of adhesions with obstructive and septic complications.