Low-Fat Diet in Intestinal Lymphangiectasia

Abstract

HYPOPROTEINEMIA may result from excessive enteric leakage of plasma proteins in patients with abnormal intestinal lymphatic drainage.^{1 2 3 4 5 6} Although intestinal lymphatic obstruction has not been clearly demonstrated in these patients, dilated intestinal lymphatic vessels have been described in mucosalbiopsy specimens⁶ and have been observed at laparotomy in the serosa and mesentery.^{1 , 3 4 5 6} The lymphatic lesion may be either congenital, with onset of symptoms in infancy and associated peripheral lymphedema,^{2 , 4 , 6 7 8} or chylous ascites,^{6 7 8 9} or both, or may be acquired and become manifest for the first time in the adult.^{3 , 5 , 6} A similar dilatation of lymphatic vessels has been described in a patient with constrictive . . .