Case Report
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2003. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Dec 15, 2003; 9(12): 2880-2882
Published online Dec 15, 2003. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v9.i12.2880
Surgical resection of duodenal lymphangiectasia: A case report
Chih-Ping Chen, Yee Chao, Chung-Pin Li, Wen-Ching Lo, Chew-Wun Wu, Shyh-Haw Tsay, Rheun-Chuan Lee, Full-Young Chang
Chih-Ping Chen, Chung-Pin Li, Wen-Ching Lo, Full-Young Chang, Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital and Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, China
Yee Chao, Cancer Center, Taipei Veterans General Hospital and National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, China
Chew-Wun Wu, Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Taipei Veterans General Hospital and National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, China
Shyh-Haw Tsay, Department of Pathology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital and National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, China
Rheun-Chuan Lee, Department of Radiology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital and National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Chung-Pin Li, Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, No. 201, Sec. 2, Shih-Pai Road, Taipei, 11217, Taiwan, China. cpli@vghtpe.gov.tw
Telephone: +86-2-28757308 Fax: +86-2-28739318
Received: August 26, 2003
Revised: September 18, 2003
Accepted: October 12, 2003
Published online: December 15, 2003
Abstract

Intestinal lymphangiectasia, characterized by dilatation of intestinal lacteals, is rare. The major treatment for primary intestinal lymphangiectasia is dietary modification. Surgery to relieve symptoms and to clarify the etiology should be considered when medical treatment failed. This article reports a 49-year-old woman of solitary duodenal lymphangiectasia, who presented with epigastralgia and anemia. Her symptoms persisted with medical treatment. Surgery was finally performed to relieve the symptoms and to exclude the existence of underlying etiologies, with satisfactory effect. In conclusion, duodenal lymphangiectasia can present clinically as epigastralgia and chronic blood loss. Surgical resection may be resorted to relieve pain, control bleeding, and exclude underlying diseases in some patients.

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