Primary Omental Infarction Mimicking Acute Appendicitis: A Case Report

Omental infarction (OI) is a rare cause of acute abdominal pain that often mimics common surgical emergencies such as appendicitis. Due to its nonspecific presentation, the diagnosis is frequently delayed or missed. We report the case of a 43-year-old man who presented with right lower quadrant abdominal pain and was initially suspected to have appendicitis. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) revealed findings consistent with primary OI. The patient was managed conservatively with analgesics and anti-inflammatory medications, resulting in complete symptom resolution within one week. This case highlights the importance of considering OI in patients presenting with localized abdominal pain and normal laboratory findings, as early radiologic diagnosis allows for conservative management and the avoidance of unnecessary surgical intervention.

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Publication Details

Journal
Cureus
Published
2026-04-27
DOI
https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.107843
Primary Topic
Omental and Epiploic Conditions
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
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article

Primary Omental Infarction Mimicking Acute Appendicitis: A Case Report

Hind Aldhaheri, Amani Alabdouli, Aysha Al Harthi
Cureus
Omental and Epiploic Conditions
article

Primary Omental Infarction Mimicking Acute Appendicitis: A Case Report

Hind Aldhaheri, Amani Alabdouli, Aysha Al Harthi
article en

Abstract

Omental infarction (OI) is a rare cause of acute abdominal pain that often mimics common surgical emergencies such as appendicitis. Due to its nonspecific presentation, the diagnosis is frequently delayed or missed. We report the case of a 43-year-old man who presented with right lower quadrant abdominal pain and was initially suspected to have appendicitis. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) revealed findings consistent with primary OI. The patient was managed conservatively with analgesics and anti-inflammatory medications, resulting in complete symptom resolution within one week. This case highlights the importance of considering OI in patients presenting with localized abdominal pain and normal laboratory findings, as early radiologic diagnosis allows for conservative management and the avoidance of unnecessary surgical intervention.

Cureus
Gender equality
Openalex Percentile: Top 7%
Omental and Epiploic Conditions
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