Eosinophilic gastroenteritis: a case report and review of the literature.

A 13-year-old boy was hospitalized with gastrointestinal obstruction. During evaluation, the total eosinophil count was as high as 3,332/mm. A biopsy specimen of the small bowel obtained at laparotomy revealed an intense eosinophilic infiltrate of the muscularis. Symptoms were controlled with glucocorticoid therapy. The case is unusual in that the eosinophilic gastroenteritis presented as childhood gastrointestinal obstructive disease with involvement of the colon but sparing of the stomach.