Laparoscopy in eosinophilic jejunitis presenting as subacute bowel obstruction: a case report.

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis is rare, seen in approximately 1 in 10,000 hospital admissions. The diagnosis is often retrospective and histopathological. Abdominal pain and obstructive symptoms associated with weight loss are the usual presenting complaints. We report a patient with symptoms of proximal bowel obstruction in whom diagnosis could not be made with conventional radiology and endoscopy. Laparoscopy showed that an intensely thickened proximal jejunum to be the cause of the obstruction. A laparotomy and resection anastomosis were done. The biopsy showed eosinophilic jejunitis. The patient did well post-operatively. The literature of this disease entity has been reviewed. Full-thickness laparoscopic biopsy and a course of steroids might avoid a laparotomy in these patients.