For example, fluid may accumulate in the abdominal and pleural cavities. Nausea, vomiting, mild diarrhea, and abdominal pain also may develop. The number of lymphocytes in the blood may decrease. This low protein level may cause further tissue swelling. Cholesterol levels in the blood may be abnormally low because cholesterol from food isn't absorbed well.
Some people also have fatty stools.
To help diagnose this disorder, a doctor may use an intravenous injection of radioactive-labeled albumin. If abnormal amounts of the radioactive substance appear in the stool, the person has an excessive protein loss. A biopsy of the small intestine shows that the lymph vessels are enlarged. Treatment Intestinal lymphangiectasia is treated by correcting the cause of the lymph vessel enlargement. For instance, treating constrictive pericarditis may relieve pressure on the lymph vessels.