Whipple's disease presenting as a small-bowel obstruction

A 51-year-old white man with chronic diarrhea, generalized weakness, and a 70-lb. weight loss in 6 months developed small-bowel obstruction while undergoing investigation in the hospital. At laparotomy, an edematous, thickened mid-portion of small bowel matted between large lymph nodes, involved by characteristics of Whipple's disease, seemed to be responsible for the small-bowel obstruction.