Gastrointestinal obstruction due to Mycobacterium avium intracellulare associated with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

Three patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) had complete or incomplete gastrointestinal obstruction resulting from infection with Mycobacterium avium intracellulare. The pathophysiologic mechanisms of the obstruction in the three cases were ileal volvulus due to adhesions from matted infected mesenteric lymph nodes, ileal intussusception due to engorged infected ileal mucosa, and small bowel displacement and compression by massively enlarged infected intraabdominal lymph nodes. These reports extend the clinical manifestations of Mycobacterium avium intracellulare infection in patients with AIDS to include partial and complete gastrointestinal obstruction.