An analysis of seven cases of intestinal lymphangiectasia complicated by portal vein hypertension / 中华消化杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the incidence,diagnosis,treatment and prognosis of abnormal lymphatic vessels in intestinal lymphangiectasia (IL) patients complicated by portal vein hypertension.Methods General information,clinical manifestations,laboratory tests,endoscopy and pathological examination,the results of direct and nuclide lymphangiography,treatment and prognosis of seven IL patients complicated by portal vein hypertension were retrospective analyzed.Results Among seven IL patients complicated by portal vein hypertension,there were five cases with abnormal lymphatic vessels and two cases were merely secondary to portal vein hypertension.The main symptoms were edema,abdominal distension and diarrhea.The results of laboratory tests mainly were lymphocytopenia (0.3× 109 to 1.7 × 109/L),hypoalbuminemia (16.0 to 27.8g/L) and hypoglobulinemia (13.2 to 17.7 g/L).Under endoscope,mucosal edema,chronic inflammatory reaction,intestinal villi spot and patched white nodular changes and polyp-like changes appeared.For treatment,the low-fat with medium-chain triglyceride diet and symptomatic support was the basic treatment.The condition could be relieved by surgical remission of abnormal lymphatic vessels or partial small-bowel resection.If the etiological factors could not be removed,the therapeutic effect was poor in the patients merely secondary to portal vein hypertension.Conclusion The suspicious IL patients complicated by portal vein hypertension need further examination to explore whether abnormal lymphatic vessels existed,and to provide evidence for surgical intervention.