Continuing education

Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis: a very rare disease entity in cats

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Abstract

Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis (SEP), also known as encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis, is a very rare disease described in humans as well as in animals. This condition is characterized by a chronic, diffuse, fibrocollageneous thickening of parietal and visceral peritoneum with secondary encapsulation of abdominal organs, mostly small intestines. Etiopathogenesis remains incompletely understood. SEP can be divided into primary, idiopathic forms and secondary forms. Secondary SEP can be caused by many different underlying disorders of which peritoneal dialysis is the most common one in humans. Diagnosis of SEP remains difficult due to its vague clinical symptoms; therefore, a combination of medical imaging, surgery and histopathology is warranted. Treatment is challenging and the prognosis is variable, depending on the severity of the disease. A combination of surgery, medicinal therapy, nutritional support and treatment of underlying disorders is used. In this article, two feline cases of SEP are described, followed by a review of the literature.