Chronic Ulcerative Jejunitis: Report of a case and discussion of classification

Recurring ulceration and strictures of the upper jejunum were accompanied by a malabsorption syndrome in this patient. Resection of strictures on two occasions resulted in clinical remissions and survival thus far of 7 years. Previous reports of this syndrome have classified it in two ways—chronic ulcerative jejunitis with secondary malabsorption and celiac sprue with intestinal ulceration. Since it may be impossible to document celiac sprue once ulceration has occurred, it is very difficult to separate these two classifications. We would suggest a single classification of "chronic ulcerative jejunitis." This patient's course is unusual in the development of multiple strictures, the good response to surgical excision, and the long survival.