Heterotopic intraabdominal ossification: report of a case and review of the literature

Abstract

There are 28 unequivocal reports of heterotopic mesenteric ossification (HMO) in the medical literature. Most cases are poorly defined lesions in intra-abdominal structures that cause intestinal obstruction. A small well-delineated solid mass was reported in only one patient with no previous history of trauma. We report herein the case of a 67 year-old female patient with calcified mass in the left adnexal region. The awareness of HMO may avoid an erroneous diagnosis of extraskeletal osteosarcoma. This case differs from most cases of HMO as it is the third one reported in females and does not present a diffuse involvement, which leads to obstructive symptoms.