Definition:
Ménétrier disease which is also known as hyperplastic hypersecretory gastropathy, is named after the
French physician Pierre Eugène Ménétrier and is a disorder in which the gastric mucosal folds or rugae
become enlarged.
Diagnosis:
For diagnosis, the disease can be effectively diagnosed by x-ray (rare) or through an endoscopy and
biopsy of the stomach
Treatment:
For adults, there is no other viable treatment other than gastrectomy and going on a monitored high-
protein diet. In the surgery, part or all of the stomach may need to be taken out if the disease has
progressed to such a point that damage has become extensive. In pediatric cases where the prognosis is
often better, patients are treated for specific symptoms after which the disease is expected to clear up
within weeks or months.
Symptoms and Signs:
The most visible symptom is when because the rugae become enlarged that the surface of the stomach
becomes swollen. The over-secretion of mucus causes plasma protein levels to dip; tissues become filled
with ulcers; as stomach glands waste away, the body loses much of its albumin protein. Other symptoms
include, pain after eating, weight loss, cachexia, peripheral edema, ascites and even anemia symptoms
secondary to blood loss.
Causes:
The disease take two forms- one for children and one for adults with the childhood form offering better
prognosis. Chiildren typically get the disease after getting a viral infection by a cytomegalovirus or
bacterial infection caused by Helicobacter pylori. The disease is not inherited. The adult form afflicts more
men between the ages of 30 and 60 years old.
The information on this site is for research purposes only and can not substitute for the advice of a medical professional. Ailments.com is not run by doctors and does not engage in the practice of medicine. Our site is not a medical authority, it is just a research tool for you to use in preparation for consulting with a doctor. We can not guarantee our information is accurate or up to date. Even if a statement made about a medical condition is accurate, it may not apply to you or your symptoms, so you should always consult a doctor. Nothing on our site should be construed as an attempt to offer or render a medical opinion or otherwise engage in the practice of medicine.
