| Abstract: | Abstract: A case of melanosis duodeni is presented. The patient was an 80-year-old Japanese woman who had received oral ferrous sulfite for 19 months. Endoscopic examination of the duodenum showed marked pigmentation of the duodenal mucosa. Histological and electron microscopic examinations revealed that the pigment had histochemical features compatible with hemosiderin and was located mainly within macrophage lysosomes in the lamina propria. We discontinued the administration of ferrous sulfite and commenced follow-up endoscopy. The pigmentation disappeared within 7 months of discontinuing treatment. Thus, the ferrous sulfite was speculated to be the causative agent of the pigmentation in the present case. The patient had concomitant hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis, anemia and chronic renal failure. The possible associations of these complications with the development of duodenal pigmentation were also considered. |
