title: Asymptomatic chronic intestinal ischemia caused by idiopathic phlebosclerosis of mesenteric vein.
abstract: Phlebosclerosis of the mesenteric vein is a rare condition causing chronic intestinal ischemia, it has only been reported in Japan. A 56-year-old man with liver cirrhosis and hepatic tumor presented with phlebosclerosis of mesenteric vein without any abdominal symptoms. He was admitted for examination of suspected hepatic tumor. Abdominal plain x-ray films and computed tomography revealed calcification of the mesenteric vein. Barium enema revealed narrowing and thumbprinting from the cecum to transverse colon. On colonoscopic examination, blue-black vessels were visible in the terminal ileum, and hyperemic nodular mucosa with small irregular ulcers surrounded by dark purple mucosa was found from the cecum to transverse colon. The etiology of mesenteric vein phlebosclerosis is unknown, although a physical mechanism rather than inflammatory changes appear to be involved in this rare and usually progressive condition of chronic intestinal ischemia.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, Osaka City University Medical School, 1-4-3, Asahi-machi, Abeno-ku, Osaka, 545-8585 Japan.
authors.forename: Nobuhide
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Oshitani
authors.forename: Yoshiki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsumura
authors.forename: Mizuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kono
authors.forename: Akihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tamori
authors.forename: Kazuhide
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Higuchi
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Shuichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Seki
authors.forename: Tetsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Arakawa
mesh_terms: D002114:Calcinosis / Q000175:diagnosis; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006801:Humans; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000098:blood supply*; D007511:Ischemia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008642:Mesenteric Veins / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012598:Sclerosis