Related Experiment Videos
Perforated duodenal ulcer in a pediatric patient with eosinophilic gastroenteritis
C Deslandres1, P Russo, P Gould
1Division of Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Hôpital Ste-Justine, Montreal, Quebec.
Insights
Eosinophilic gastroenteritis in a child, treated with diet alone, led to a perforated ulcer after abdominal trauma. This rare complication highlights potential risks in managing this condition.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Allergy Immunology
Background:
- Eosinophilic gastroenteritis (EG) is a rare chronic inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract.
- Management often involves dietary elimination, but complications can arise.
Observation:
- An 11-year-old boy with a history of EG, peripheral eosinophilia, iron deficiency, hypoalbuminemia, and failure to thrive presented with a perforated gastroduodenal ulcer.
- The ulceration occurred subsequent to blunt abdominal trauma.
Findings:
- Immunological work-up confirmed food allergies in the patient.
- Literature review identified only six prior cases of gastrointestinal perforation in EG patients since 1966, with one other pediatric case.
Implications:
- This case underscores the potential for severe gastrointestinal complications, such as perforation, in pediatric EG.
- It suggests that even with dietary management, vigilance for serious GI events is crucial in patients with EG and associated allergies.
Abstract:
An 11-year-old boy with eosinophilic gastroenteritis treated by an elimination diet alone presented with a perforated gastroduodenal ulcer subsequent to blunt trauma to the abdomen. Peripheral eosinophilia, chronic iron deficiency, chronic hypoalbuminemia and severe failure to thrive had been present since age 2 years. Immunological work-up revealed food allergies, documented by skin tests. A review of the literature since 1966 revealed only six other cases of perforation of the gastrointestinal tract, one of whom was also a child.