Aim:

To evaluate patients who underwent surgery because of an intra-abdominal mass, in respect of symptoms, findings, diagnosis and treatment in accordance with information in literature.

Material and Methods:

A retrospective examination was made of patients who underwent surgery because of an intra-abdominal mass between May 2010 and May 2017. For each patient a record was made of age, gender, symptoms, findings, type of mass determined, diagnostic methods used, the organ or tissue of origin, whether or not preoperative biopsy was taken, dimension of the mass, benign or malignant nature of the mass, type of operation performed and pathological diagnosis.

Results:

Evaluation was made of 45 patients with an intra-abdominal mass. The patients comprised 18 (40%) males and 27 (60%) females with a mean age of 54.3 years (range, 19-86 years). The most common symptom was abdominal pain in 26 (57.8%) patients, and being able to feel the mass in the abdomen in 15 (33.4%). The intra-abdominal mass could be determined on palpation in 28 (62.2%) as a finding in the physical examination. USG was the most preferred imaging examination method in 36 (80%) patients, followed by CT in 28 (62.2%), MRI in 10 (22.2%) and PET-CT in 2 (4.4%). Preoperative endoscopy was applied to 27 (60%) patients and biopsy to 21 (46.7%). The long axis of the mass was mean 13cm (range, 4-50 cm). Treatment was applied as total excision of the mass in 29 (64.4%) patients, enbloc resection of the mass together with the bowel in 14 (31.1%), together with a distal pancreatectomy in 1 (2.2%) and together with a pancreaticoduodenectomy in 1 (2.2%). The pathology result was reported as benign in 15 (33.3%) patients and as malignant in 30 (66.7%). Of the benign masses, mesenteric cyst was determined most frequently in 5 (11.1%) patients and gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) were determined as the most common malignant masses in 10 (22.2%) patients.

Conclusion:

Although intra-abdominal masses originate from different organs and have different clinical and histopathological properties, they are pathologies that require systematic evaluation in respect of diagnosis and treatment approaches.

Keywords: Intra-Abdominal Masses, Physical Examination, Abdominal Ultrasonography, Histopathological Type, Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor