Segmental infarction of the greater omentum: a cause of acute abdomen in childhood.

Segmental infarction of the greater omentum is an unusual cause of acute abdominal pain in children. Over 30 years at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, this entity was encountered nine times. All children complained of right lower quadrant pain. They were tender in that area and were thought to have acute appendicitis. At operation, the appendix was found to be normal in all and an area of infarcted omentum was identified as the cause of the acute illness. Torsion of the infarcted omentum was noted in four cases. Excision of the omentum was curative.