Idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis: effectiveness of surgery combined with corticosteroid therapy
Vincenzi, V.; Costan Biedo, F.; D'Andrea, P.; Favretti, F.; De Marchi, G.; Basevi, A.
Minerva Medica 84(6): 351-354
1993
ISSN/ISBN: 0026-4806 PMID: 8336845 Document Number: 408570
Idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis (ERF) is a rare disease characterized by non-neoplastic fibroblastic and inflammatory proliferation. We describe a case of a 58-year-old man presenting with abdominal pain, weight loss and abdominal mass on clinical examination. The patient was evaluated by abdominal CT scan and magnetic resonance imaging which disclosed a periaortic soft-tissue mass with marked longitudinal extension below renal arteries origin. The diagnosis of ERF was histologically confirmed after surgical exploration and biopsies followed by extensive ablation of fibrous tissue. After 6 months of low-doses of postoperative steroid therapy retroperitoneal fibrous tissue had almost disappeared on CT examination.