FIBROTIC ENTRAPMENT OF THE SMALL-BOWEL IN CONGENITAL INTESTINAL LYMPHANGIECTASIA

Congenital intestinal lymphangiectasia is a rare protein-losing entero pathy that is characterized by diarrhea and peripheral edema. This rep ort presents a 37-yr-old woman who had suffered from recurrent diarrhe a and peripheral edema since her early childhood and who was admitted for severe attacks of abdominal pain. A diagnosis of intestinal lympha ngiectasia was made endoscopically, histologically, and radiographical ly. Laparotomy revealed complete fibrotic entrapment of the small bowe l, which caused partial mechanical bowel obstruction. Surgical decorti cation led to recovery. To the best of our knowledge, this is the firs t report on fibrotic entrapment of the small bowel in a patient with l ong lasting intestinal lymphangiectasia, (Am J Gastroenterol 1998;93:1 980-1983, (C) 1998 by Am. Cell. of Gastroenterology).