Persistent descending mesocolon: case report

Positional anomalies of the right half of the colon are quite common whereas positional anomalies of the left half of the colon are much less common because of embryological disorders during the period of the embryological development of that part of the bowel. The process of the fixation of the descending colon to the posterior abdominal wall can be absent. In that case, when the descending colon has a free descending mesocolon, it shows some degree of mobility. We are presenting an example of one of the anomalies, which is characterized by the persistent descending mesocolon, which extends from the splenic flexure or just below it to the sigmoid colon. The persistent descending mesocolon in our case contains or surrounds almost complete small bowel in a recess which is located laterally to the left of the midline. The content of this hernial sac simulates the symptoms of an internal hernia followed by clinical symptoms and roendgenographical signs. We are of the opinion that this anomaly is more common than some surveys of literature would suggest.