Thursday, February, 09, 2012

Retroperitoneal fibrosis

Table of Contents

Alternative Names

Idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis; Ormond's disease


Symptoms

Early symptoms:

  • Dull pain in the abdomen that increases with time
  • Pain and change of color in the legs (due to decreased blood flow)
  • Swelling of one leg

Later symptoms:

  • Decreased urine output
  • No urine output (anuria)
  • Nausea, vomiting, changes in thinking caused by kidney failure and build-up of toxic chemicals in the blood
  • Severe abdominal pain with hemorrhaging (due to death of intestinal tissue)

Signs and tests

Abdominal CT scan is the best method to reveal a retroperitoneal mass.

Other tests that can help diagnose this condition include:

  • BUN and creatinine blood tests
  • Intravenous pyelogram (IVP)
  • Kidney ultrasound
  • MRI of the abdomen

A biopsy of the mass may also be done to rule out cancer.


Review Date: 03/17/2011
Reviewed By: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington, School of Medicine; Louis S. Liou, MD, PhD, Chief of Urology, Cambridge Health Alliance, Visiting Assistant Professor of Surgery, Harvard Medical School. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)