title: Retractile mesenteritis presenting with malabsorption syndrome. Successful treatment with oral pentoxifylline.
abstract: Retractile mesenteritis is a rare benign inflammatory disease of the mesentery. Computed tomographic findings usually suggest the diagnosis, which is confirmed by surgical biopsies. Conservative treatment is empirical, based on corticosteroids, colchicine, immunosuppressive agents and progesterone. Surgical resection is sometimes attempted for definitive therapy, although the surgical approach is often limited. This report describes a 62-year old man with histologically proven retractile mesenteritis presenting with malabsorbtion syndrome, who presented pulmonary tuberculosis after initial therapy with corticosteroids. He was subsequently treated with oral pentoxifylline (800 mg/day), with substantial clinical and radiological improvement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, University of Thessaly, School of Medicine, 41110 Larissa, Greece.
authors.forename: Andreas N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Kapsoritakis
authors.forename: Christos D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Rizos
authors.forename: Stylianos
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Delikoukos
authors.forename: Despina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kyriakou
authors.forename: Georgios K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Koukoulis
authors.forename: Spyros P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Potamianos
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D006801:Humans; D008286:Malabsorption Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015436:Panniculitis, Peritoneal / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010431:Pentoxifylline / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D010431:Pentoxifylline