Intestinal Lymphangiectasia a Case Report

A 28 year old woman with protein losing enteropathy due to intestinal lymphangiectasia is presented. The patient had diarrhoea, oedema restricted to the lower extremities, hypoproteinemia and an abnormal radiological appearance of the small intestines. Jejunal biopsy and the histopatho-logy report of the resected jejunum showed dilated lymphatics in the submucosa. Post-operatively patient showed a marked improvement in her general condition with an improvement in appetite, disappearance of oedema and an increase in her serum protein levels. Introduction of a medium chain triglyceride diet had a beneficial effect with a significant reduction in the frequency of bowel movements. Hypoproteinemia of obscure origin may be due to loss of plasma proteins into the gastrointestinal tract and the presence of a lymphatic disorder of the small bowel as a cause of the syndrome in such cases should be entertained. (JPMA 30:231, 1980).