[Zinc deficiency syndrome during TPN]

The zinc deficiency syndrome, also called enteropathic acrodermatitis, has been mostly observed in those pathologies of the gastroenteric system characterized by grave food shortages during long term TPN in association with inflammatory intestinal pathologies. The authors believe this to be caused of such syndrome, that in the case in question is demonstrated before the normal period described in the literature to be caused by both increased request related to TPN and a greater loss or less absorption due to intestinal phlogosis. The case described has been noted in a general surgery division in a young patient suffering from Crohn's disease for many years in treatment with medical therapy and now complicated by perianal abscess following burrowing on the outside subjected and therefore in treatment with artificial parenteral nutrition pre and post operative. Such pathology to be due when to begin a symptomatology characterized by consciousness alteration, diarrhoea, vesicular squamous cutaneous lesions around orifices, often infected by bacteria and mycosis in patients in treatment nutritional artificial continued for digestive apparatus diseases. The knowledge of this syndrome and its diagnosis lead, through integrative therapy, to its resolution in a short time. The authors describe the course of a clinical case occurred to then and ended with the patient's recovery. They underline the risks of ignoring this pathology.