The authors report the case of a 30-year-old man who died from pulmonary em
bolism and multiorgan failure caused by mesenteric and inferior vena cava t
hrombosis. The patient was found heterozygous for the prothrombin gene vari
ant (G 20210 A). The family study showed the same asymptomatic anomaly in h
is brother. This recently described mutation is associated with an increase
d risk for venous thrombosis. The investigations and treatment of mesenteri
c venous thrombosis are discussed. (C) 2000 Editions scientifiques ef medic
ales Elsevier SAS.