Intestinal infarction in systemic lupus erythematosus--report of a case with an unusual obliterative vascular lesion.

: Intestinal infarction is a rare complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). A 26-year-old Papua New Guinean female who developed such a complication and underwent emergency laparotomy is described. The pathological changes in the mesenteric vessels and possible pathogenetic mechanisms are discussed. The relevant literature is briefly reviewed.