M. Ormond

Abstract

Morbus Ormond, also known as Gerota’s disease/fasciitis or retroperitoneal fi brosis (RF), is a rare disease (estimated incidence 1:200,000 [ 1 ]) with increasing fi brosis of the retroperitoneum and encasement of the containing vessels, nerves and ureters. RF appears most commonly in 40-60-year-olds, with males two to three times more likely to be affected than females. Approximately two third of the patients are assigned to the idiopathic primary form, which is associated with increased infl ammation and is connected to autoimmune disorders. Etiologically this form is to be delineated from the secondary form that is caused by factors triggering a reactive fi brosis such as radiation, chronic infl ammation, scarring after surgery, drugs, tumors, and trauma. Here again, no specifi c triggers are known, whereas in addition to the above stated causes, certain vasoactive drugs (alkaloids, â-blockers, phenacetin) or autoimmune diseases such as Crohn’s disease, primary biliary cirrhosis, Wegener’s disease, Sjogren’s syndrome and Erdheim-Chester disease are known risk factors [ 2 ].