EOSINOPHILIC GASTROENTERITIS - CONTRIBUTI ON OF ENDOSCOPIC ULTRASONOGRAPHY TO THE DIAGNOSIS

A case of eosinophilic gastroenteritis diagnosed ten years after disco very of peripheral eosinophilia in a patient with primary hemochromato sis is reported. The muscularis propria was predominantly affected. Sy mptoms included duodenal obstruction, biliary duct dilation, and eleva ted serum lipase activity. Endoscopic ultrasonography clearly showed t hickening of the muscular layer of the digestive tract wall. This inve stigation may obviate the need for surgical biopsy in patients with eo sinophilic gastroenteritis predominantly affecting the muscularis prop ria and negative endoscopic biopsies.