Abstract
Idiopathic mesenteric phlebosclerosis is a rare disease of intestinal ischemia caused by calcified peripheral mesenteric veins and a thickened colonic wall. We here report a case of asymptomatic idiopathic mesenteric phlebosclerosis discovered by fecal occult blood positive, diagnosed by endoscopic biopsy. A 41-year-old man was referred for anemia and fecal occult blood positive. Colonoscopy showed dark purplish-blue edematous mucosa from the cecum to the transverse colon. Computed tomography (CT) showed a thickened colonic wall and nodular/linear calcification. The deposition of amorphous substances (HE staining) and collagen fibers (Azan staining) in the mucosa, which was found by endoscopic biopsy, confirmed the diagnosis of idiopathic mesenteric phlebosclerosis. The salient pathological and clinical features of idiopathic mesenteric phlebosclerosis are discussed along with a review of the literature.
