Acute abdominal pain and eosinophilia, two cases of eosinophilic gastroenteritis.

Two patients are presented who were admitted with acute abdominal pain for which they underwent laparotomy. No clear-cut diagnosis could be established during operation. Eventually, eosinophilic gastroenteritis was diagnosed and treated with corticosteroids. The heterogeneous presentation of eosinophilic gastroenteritis is discussed, ranging from mild non-specific gastrointestinal symptoms to an acute abdominal emergency prompting surgical intervention. The pathogenesis and treatment of eosinophilic gastroenteritis are discussed.