Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 30, 2026

A Protocol for Lentiviral Transduction and Downstream Analysis of Intestinal Organoids
Published on: April 20, 2015
An unusual cause of intestinal failure
Gavin Alistair Stead1, Ben Warner1, Jennifer Clough1
1Department to Gastroenterology, University Hospital Lewisham, London, UK.
Abstract:
A 62-year-old man presented to the emergency department with 5 weeks of worsening lower abdominal pain associated with watery diarrhoea, vomiting and 10% loss of body weight. He had recently experienced night blindness. There was no history of foreign travel. His past medical history included hypertension, sickle cell trait and type 2 diabetes well controlled on metformin. He had not been prescribed any recent steroids and denied significant alcohol intake. On examination, he had a tachycardia at 110 bpm and was afebrile and normotensive. He was malnourished with pedal pitting oedema extending to both knees. His abdomen was soft but distended and diffusely tender. Blood tests showed a serum albumin of 12 g/L. Stool samples were negative. HIV testing was negative, and immunoglobulin levels were normal. CT of the abdomen showed thickened, hyperenhancing jejunal loops with diffuse mesenteric inflammatory fat stranding and enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes. Colonoscopy was unremarkable. Enteroscopy showed granular oedematous mucosa and extensive, deep ulcerations. Jejunal biopsies were obtained. Microscopy samples were negative for tuberculosis (TB) culture. Histology revealed inflamed and ulcerated small bowel mucosa with plump endothelial cells with the appearance below. There were no granulomata (figures 1 and 2). Figure 1Endoscopic examination of the jejunum. Figure 2Plump endothelial cells seen on microscopy.
Question:
What is the differential diagnosis?
Related Concept Videos
Unusual Results
According to the range rule of thumb, any value above or below two standard deviations, 2σ from the mean, μ is considered unusual.
Maximum unusual value =...
z Scores and Unusual Values
This score indicates how far a value is from the mean in terms of standard deviation. For example, if a data value has a z score of +1, the researcher can infer that the particular data value is one standard deviation above the mean. If another data...
Anatomy of the Intestines
Small Intestines
The small intestine is an ~7 meter-long tube with an inner diameter of just 2.5 cm. Since most nutrients are absorbed here, the inner lining of the...
Small Intestine
The small intestine is divided into three main sections - the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. The duodenum, approximately 25 cm long, is nearest the stomach. It acts as a 'mixing bowl,' where chyme (partially digested food) blends with digestive enzymes from the pancreas and liver. The duodenum's unique...
Large Intestine
The ileocecal sphincter, a mucous membrane fold, guards the opening from the ileum to the large intestine. This valve permits material from the small intestine to pass into the large intestine. Attached to the ileocecal valve is the cecum. This small pouch, approximately 6 cm long, has a twisted, coiled tube known as...
Pathophysiology of Heart Failure

