Recognizing a hidden cause of bowel obstruction: the abdominal cocoon

First described in 1978, abdominal cocoon syndrome has been described in little over 300 people worldwide, predominantly young adolescent females living in tropical and subtropical zones.1 A review of literature suggested retrograde menstruation as the cause of infertility and cocoon formation.1 Since then, several hypotheses have been proposed to explain this rare cause of small bowel obstruction. [...]reports of emerging cases suggest that it occurs more frequently in middle-aged men in contrast to past beliefs.1 In conclusion, the abdominal cocoon syndrome should be considered in the differential diagnosis of small bowel obstruction.