Ulcerative jejunoileitis

Abstract

Ulcerative jejunoileitis is a rare condition characterized by the presence of multiple and transverse ulcerations located in the jejunum, the ileum or both, with consequent scarring that can lead to narrow strictures of the intestinal wall. This condition has been considered to be a complication of adult celiac disease for 30 years, since the report of a case in which celiac disease had been diagnosed with certainty long before the development of small intestinal ulcerations. Very recently, ulcers of the first and second part of the duodenum have also been found in two very young celiac children. The nosology of this condition is today very confused. Even when coupled with villous atrophy, the dependence on celiac disease may be questionable in patients who do not respond to gluten withdrawal.