title: Protein-losing enteropathy: first manifestation of sclerosing mesenteritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report the case of an unusual form of protein-losing enteropathy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 54-year-old patient with hypoechoic tumours resembling lipomas in the mesentery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Following examination by ultrasound and computed tomography, the well-known intestinal and extra-intestinal forms of protein-losing enteropathy were excluded and a diagnostic laparotomy was performed. The whole mesentery was infiltrated by a large unresectable tumour. Histological examination showed that it was a sclerosing mesenteritis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Steroid therapy dramatically improved the protein-losing enteropathy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pathogenically, the enteropathy may be interpreted as the result of disturbed lymphatic drainage caused by the sclerosed mesentery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Krankenhaus Bad Cannstatt, Stuttgart, Germany.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Höring
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hingerl
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hens
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: von Gaisberg
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kieninger
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000473:pathology; D003094:Collagen; D003238:Connective Tissue / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008643:Mesentery / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009336:Necrosis; D015436:Panniculitis, Peritoneal / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D011504:Protein-Losing Enteropathies / Q000209:etiology*; D012598:Sclerosis
chemical_list: D003094:Collagen