Brown bowel syndrome: case report and review
Anand, A.; Jaffe, B.M.
Journal of the Louisiana State Medical Society Official Organ of the Louisiana State Medical Society 157(6): 338-340
2005
ISSN/ISBN: 0024-6921 PMID: 16579347 Document Number: 593648
Brown bowel syndrome is characterized by deposits of lipofuscin in the tunica muscularis of the small intestine. Its etiology is associated with chronic malabsorption resulting in a deficiency of vitamin E. This hypovitaminosis is believed to cause a mitochondrial myopathy secondary to loss of the antioxidant properties of vitamin E, which further worsens the malabsorption and leads to atonic, dilated segments of bowel. Current treatment options involve nutritional supplementation, surgical resection of the affected segments, and intestinal transplantation.