PROTEIN-LOSING ENTEROPATHY DUE TO THROMBOPHLEBITIS OF THE MESENTERIC VEIN - REPORT OF A CASE

We report herein the case of a 70-year-old woman with enteropathy acco mpanied by protein loss, the cause of which was found to be thrombophl ebitis of the mesenteric vein. The patient was admitted to our hospita l for investigations to determine the cause of hypoproteinemia, She ha d suffered an episode of left abdominal pain with high fever and vomit ing lasting 10 days, 8 months prior to her admission. She also had a 6 -year history of uncontrolled diabetes. The alpha(1)-antitrypsin clear ance was 85.7ml/day, suggesting protein-losing enteropathy. A scintigr aphy with 99m-technetium-human serum albumin disclosed protein leakage into the intestine. X-Rays and computed tomography showed a stenotic and thickened area of small intestine 50 cm in length. Thus, a laparot omy was performed to resect this part of the intestine which was found to have undergone past thrombophlebitic changes. Following the operat ion, the a, antitrypsin clearance decreased to within the normal range and the patient gained 5kg in weight.