Iliopsoas myofibrositis – A diagnostic consideration for chronic lower abdominal pain in rural Kenya

Abstract

Diagnosis for lower abdominal pain is always challenging clinically and more so in the setting of rural Africa. Eighteen cases of sonographically-shown ipsilateral enlargement and echo alteration of iliopsoas muscle have been compiled in patients with chronic lower abdominal pain. Seventy percent of the cases were treated with antibiotic and 30% with additional anti-inflammatory drug. A telephone interview follow up was done to nine patients, in which eight reported improvement after treatment. One case was biopsied and shown to be myofibrositis of iliopsoas muscle.