Home parenteral nutrition in a child with Menetrier disease

A 4-year-old boy is described with abdominal pain, emesis, weight loss, hypoproteinemia and edema. The diagnosis of Menetrier disease was made based on radiographic studies, gastroscopy and gastric biopsy. There was little response to medical treatment and enteral feedings were poorly tolerated for many weeks. Although Menetrier disease in children has a benign and transient course, we found the use of home hyperalimentation significantly shortened the length of hospitalization and provided adequate nutritional support until the gastric lesions began to resolve.