The epiploic appendices (or appendices epiploicae, or epiploic appendages, or appendix epiploica, or omental appendices) are small pouches of the

peritoneum The peritoneum is the serous membrane forming the lining of the abdominal cavity or coelom in amniotes and some invertebrates, such as annelids. It covers most of the intra-abdominal (or coelomic) organs, and is composed of a layer of mesotheli ...

filled with

fat In nutrition science, nutrition, biology, and chemistry, fat usually means any ester of fatty acids, or a mixture of such chemical compound, compounds, most commonly those that occur in living beings or in food. The term often refers specif ...

and situated along the colon, but are absent in the rectum. They are chiefly appended to the transverse and sigmoid parts of the colon, however, their function is unknown. The appendages can become inflamed in a painful process known as epiploic appendagitis which can mimic

acute appendicitis Appendicitis is inflammation of the appendix. Symptoms commonly include right lower abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, fever and decreased appetite. However, approximately 40% of people do not have these typical symptoms. Severe complications o ...

and other conditions.

External links

* - "Intestines and Pancreas: Large Intestine" * * "Michael Sand et al.
Epiploic appendagitis – clinical characteristics of an uncommon surgical diagnosis
BMC Surgery 2007, 7:11 (1 July 2007)". {{Authority control Pelvis