UPDATE! I have leveled up in knowledge of my disgusting bowels.
According to my GI specialist, it's likely that I suffer from
Mesenteric Panniculitis. Rare disorder FTW!
Mesenteric panniculitis is a rare disorder that is part of a spectrum of diseases affecting the mesentery, a portion of the peritoneum that supports and attaches the intestines to the abdominal wall. Individuals with mesenteric panniculitis develop inflammation and necrosis of the fatty tissue of the mesentery, especially in the area of the small bowel. The condition progresses to cause chronic inflammation of the mesentery. In some patients, ongoing inflammation can result in scarring (fibrosis) of the mesentery.
In general, mesenteric panniculitis is a chronic, benign disorder with a favorable prognosis that occasionally resolves on its own (spontaneous regression). Nonetheless, symptoms of mesenteric panniculitis may be severe in some patients and can result in significant effects on quality of life. The clinical presentation of mesenteric panniculitis is highly variable. Some patients have few or no noticeable symptoms. The diagnosis of mesenteric panniculitis may be made incidentally following a CT scan of the abdomen, generally for the evaluation of abdominal pain. Symptoms of mesenteric panniculitis fall into two categories. Some symptoms, such as abdominal pain, are due to the mass-like effect of mesenteric inflammation, and potentially involvement of adjacent structures including the small intestine. The second group of symptoms occurs in the presence of chronic inflammation and may include weight loss, fever, and fatigue. Some affected individuals may develop complications such as small bowel obstruction or acute abdomen. Small bowel obstruction prevents the passage of food through the intestines and can cause a variety of nonspecific gastrointestinal symptoms as well as a nutrient malabsorption.
Evidence suggests that mesenteric panniculitis is an autoimmune disorder. Autoimmune diseases occur when the body’s natural defense mechanisms such as antibodies and lymphocytes, (that are normally in place for prevention of infectious diseases and cancer), instead cause a reaction and damage to the patient’s own healthy tissue. In general, genetic and environmental factors play a role in the development of autoimmune diseases. A number of factors support the hypothesis that mesenteric panniculitis is an autoimmune disease. These include the fact that biopsies of affected areas show chronic, ongoing inflammation. Additionally, systemic symptoms that are characteristic of other autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn’s disease including fever and fatigue can occur in patients with mesenteric panniculitis. Patients with mesenteric panniculitis also frequently often have a strong family history of autoimmune diseases.
TL;DR:
It's an autoimmune condition that flares up in the mesentery and causes inflammation, scarring (adhesions), and necrosis in some fat deposits. It comes and goes.
I've probably had it a long time, and the pain that sent me to surgery was caused my adhesions kinking the intestine and stopping blood flow. This could happen again in a few years or never.
(My major concern is the autoimmune aspect. My paternal grandmother had lupus, and I hope that's not lurking in my future.)
In related news, I had a colonoscopy this morning, and things look reasonably good in there. (Again, I have pictures.) A couple of polyps were removed and will be biopsied, but they don't immediately look threatening.
Glad there's no obvious bad news, though.
