[Mysterious segmental stenosis of the small intestine (author's transl)]

Within a period of four years twelve cases of short small bowel stenoses were seen requiring surgical removal by resection because of acute ileus. Two of these cases were considered examples of an eosinophilic enteritis. The remaining cases were mostly men of an average age of 63 years. With one exception, they had been treated for cardiovascular diseases with various drugs, mostly potassium, digitalis and reserpine preparations. The intestinal stenoses were 1-3.5 cm in length with a constriction down to 1 mm diameter. Obviously, these obstructions develop from an infarct-like necrosis of the mucosa via a circular ulcer; the narrowing of the intestinal lumen is chiefly due to fibromuscular hyperplasia of the submucous coat. The morphological changes agree with the findings known from ischaemic intestinal lesions as well as with those in jejunal ulcus simplex. Hence, it appears justified to interpret them as ischaemic intestinal stricture. However, an additional and as yet unknown damaging factor seems to be involved.