Mesenteric panniculitis (MP) is a rare disease characterized by chronic inflammation and fibrosis of the mesenteric adipose tissue. It is a benign disease that is influenced by many factors, mainly abdominal trauma and surgery. At present, the pathogenesis and clinical characteristics of MP are still not clear. Most patients with MP are asymptomatic, few will present gastrointestinal symptoms, especially abdominal pain. The diagnosis of MP mainly relies on imaging, such as CT. Medicine treatment is unnecessary for asymptomatic patients, and the curative effect of glucocorticoids is effective in patients with symptom. In the absence of severe intestinal obstruction, surgical treatment should not be considered. The purpose of this paper is to systematically introduce and summarize the epidemiology, etiology, histopathology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of MP, so as to improve the understanding of this disease.