How is primary intestinal lymphangiectasia (PIL) caused?
Primary intestinal lymphangiectasia (PIL) is a rare disorder characterized by diffuse or localized dilation and eventual rupture of the enteric lymphatic vessels in mucosa, submucosa, and/or subserosa. Lymph, rich in all kinds of proteins and lymphocytes, leaks into the gastrointestinal tract via the affected lymphatic vessels causing hypoproteinemia and lymphopenia.