Benign cystic mesothelioma: A rare cause of ascites in a case with familial Mediterranean fever

A. Curgunlu¹, Y. Karter¹, I.B. Tüfekci¹, A. Tunckale¹, T. Karahasanoglu²

¹Department of Internal Medicine and ²Department of General Surgery, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey.

ABSTRACT
Benign cystic mesothelioma (BCM) is a rare neoplasm of the peritoneum, consisting of solitary or multiple cysts arising from mesothelial cells. Here we report a patient with a previous diagnosis of familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) presenting with abdominal distension and ascites which were found to be due to BCM. The co-existence of these two entities has not been reported previously. Ascites as the presenting feature of BMC is also a rare observation. 

Key words
Ascites, benign cystic mesothelioma, familial Mediterranean fever.

Please address correspondence to: Asli Curgunlu, MD, Ahirkapi sok. No. 78, Cankurtaran, Istanbul, Turkey. 
E-mail: acurgunlu@hotmail.com

Clin Exp Rheumatol 2003; 21: (Suppl. 30): S41-S43.
© Copyright Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology 2003.