Segmental infarction of the omentum: a cause of the semi-acute abdomen.

Segmental infarction of the omentum is an unusual cause of the acute or "semi-acute" abdomen. Because of its rarity, the nonspecificity of its signs and symptoms and the almost total lack of information regarding its natural history, it is very rarely diagnosed correctly prior to laparotomy or autopsy. We report a 51-year old obese woman with chronic hypertension, congestive heart failure and renal insufficiency, who developed recurrent severe abdominal pain. The diagnosis of primary omental disease was entertained because of the triad of persistent localized abdominal pain, lack of grossly disturbed visceral function and the presence of hemoperitoneum. This was confirmed by laparotomy.