A CASE STUDY OF THE EOSINOPHILIC GASTROENTERITIS

Abstract

A 41 year old man was admitted to our hospital complaining of severe abdominal fullness and vomiting on September 28, 1977. Examination of the blood disclosed 11, 000 white blood cells with 14% eosinophils. The upper gastrointestinal series revealed irregular and broadend mucosal folds in the antrum. Although edematous and spottedly reddend mucosa was observed in the superior portin and second portion of the duodenum endo-scopically, the infiltration of the eosinophils was not seen in the biopsy specimens performed simmultaneously. On October patient developed ileus, and the laparotomy was performed. There were many eosinophils in the ascites and the infiltration of the plasmacells and eosinophils in the lymphnodes of the mesenterium. The patient recovered rapidly by the administration of predonisolone and has been in good health in a following year. Eosinophilic gastroenteritis is comparatively rare and usually diagnosed by the eosino-philic leucocytosis in the peripheral blood and the infiltration of the eosinophils in the wall of the gastrointestinal tract, But in the case, in which the eosinophils are infiltrated only in the deeper portion of the wall of the gastrointestinal tract, accurate diagnosis is difficlt. Consequently, this rare disease should be kept in mind on the occasion of the diagnosis of the unknown abdominal disorders.