Menetrierʼs Disease

Abstract

Six patients with surgically treated Menetrier's disease are presented. Diffuse or focal cystic hyperplasia of mucous secreting epithelium of the fundus with antral sparing characterized the stomachs in all of these cases. In most instances the disorder was found during evaluation of non-specific complaints of pain, nausea and diarrhea. Only one patient had sufficient loss of albumin to produce severe ankle edema and four of the others had below normal serum albumin levels without associated symptoms. One patient presented with life threatening bleeding from the hyperplastic mucosa. None of the patients had an associated endocrine neoplasm. All of the patients are living and without symptoms of disease for periods ranging from three to twelve years after resection of all or part of the hyperplastic mucosa. The rationale for surgical therapy in this condition is presented.