Published online Feb 6, 2023. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v11.i4.972
Peer-review started: December 7, 2022
First decision: December 19, 2022
Revised: December 28, 2022
Accepted: January 12, 2023
Article in press: January 12, 2023
Published online: February 6, 2023
Omental infarction (OI) is a surgical abdominal disease that is not common in adults and is very rare in children. Similar to various acute abdominal pain diseases including appendicitis, diagnosis was previously achieved by diagnostic laparotomy but more recently, ultrasonography or computed tomography (CT) examination has been used.
A 6-year-old healthy boy with no specific medical history visited the emergency room with right lower abdominal pain. He underwent abdominal ultrasonography by a radiologist to rule out acute appendicitis. He was discharged with no significant sonographic finding and symptom relief. However, the symptoms persisted for 2 more days and an outpatient visit was made. An outpatient abdominal CT was used to make a diagnosis of OI. After laparoscopic operation, his symptoms resolved.
In children’s acute abdominal pain, imaging studies should be performed for appendicitis and OI.
Core Tip: We report the case of a 6-year-old boy with omental infarction (OI) diagnosed by computed tomography (CT) and missed by ultrasonography. The patient who complained of right abdominal pain underwent a laboratory test and ultrasound examination in the emergency room. However, there were no specific findings, so he was discharged. However, the abdominal pain persisted, so a CT scan was performed at the outpatient clinic. Then, OI was diagnosed, and he underwent laparoscopic operation and was discharged after hospitalization. Even if there are no specific findings by ultrasonography, CT examination should be carefully considered.