Persistent descending mesocolon

Last revised by Hoe Han Guan on 24 May 2023

Persistent descending mesocolon is defined as the failure of fusion of the mesentery of the descending colon with the lateral and posterior parietal peritoneum 1.

Persistent descending mesocolon is a rare congenital anomaly, in which the primitive dorsal mesocolon does not fuse with the parietal peritoneum.

CT and barium studies are the most helpful imaging modalities for the diagnosis. The typical finding is the medialisation and oblique course of the descending colon, with small bowel loops seen lateral to it 4.

It is asymptomatic in the majority of cases, but it has clinical significance as it may cause intestinal obstructionvolvulusintussusception or internal hernia 2,3.

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