Duodenal Perforation due to Hemoclipping for the Dieulafoy's Lesion in a Duodenal Diverticulum / 대한소화기내시경학회지

Duodenal diverticulum usually originates in the second portion of the duodenum and occasionally causes duodenal obstruction, hemorrhage, perforation and diverticulitis. A bleeding from Dieulafoy's lesion in a duodenal diverticulum is rare. It is not easily dignosed and treated by forward viewing endoscopy. Recently, a case was reported describing the hemorrhage from the Dieulafoy's lesion in a duodenal diverticulum which was treated by hemoclip with forward viewing endoscopy. Hemoclip application is considered to be the most appropriate endoscopic treatment, because sclerotherapy, electrocoagulation or band ligation for Dieulafoy's lesion in the duodenal diverticulum may increase risk of duodenal perforation. We report a case of duodenal perforation due to hemoclip application for the treatment of Dieulafoy's lesion in a duodenal diverticulum.

Two Cases of Hemobilia Associated with Common Bile Duct Stones / 대한소화기내시경학회지

Hemobilia is a disease caused by injury or conditions that cause the abnormal communication between intrahepatic blood vessels and biliary tract, resulting in leakage of blood into the biliary tract. In the past, trauma had been the most common cause of hemobilia. However, with the increasing invasive procedures in the hepatobiliary tract, iatrogenic origin has become the major cause of hemobilia. Also, non-traumatic etiologies of hemobilia include vascular malformation such as aneurysm, gallstone, inflammation, biliary tumor, hepatocellular carcinoma and coagulopathy. Among these non-traumatic etiologies, choledocholithiasis is a rare cause of hemobilia. The authors have experienced two cases of hemobilia caused by choledocholithiasis, which was diagnosed by abdominal ultrasonography, abdominal CT and duodenoscopy. Both patients were treated by the endoscopic sphincterotomy and stone removal with basket.

Clinical Outcomes after Discontinuation of Lamivudine in Chronic Hepatitis B Patients with Lamivudine Resistant HBV Mutant / 대한간학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The therapeutic strategies of applying adefovir for treating lamivudine resistant HBV mutants are controversial. Thus, we observed the clinical outcomes after discontinuation of lamivudine to establish the timing to initiate adefovir therapy. METHODS: Fifty chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with lamivudine resistant HBV mutants who had received lamivudine for more than 12 months were included in the study. We investigated the clinical outcomes at 6 months after the end of treatment (EOT). We compared the serial clinical outcomes among respective groups based on serum ALT at the EOT and the clinical characteristics of patients with or without acute exacerbation (AE) and the HBeAg loss. We also investigated the predictive parameters of AE and HBeAg loss. RESULTS: Fifteen patients (30%) had experienced AE at 6 months after the EOT. Four patients received antiviral agents because of their hepatic decompensation. Patients with AE had higher serum ALT values and lower HBV DNA titers at EOT compared with those patients without AE. Serum ALT at the EOT was the predictive parameter of AE. Eight patients (21.6%) had newly developed HBeAg loss at 6 months after EOT. The total bilirubin at EOT was the predictive parameter of HBeAg loss. CONCLUSIONS: CHB patients with lamivudine resistant HBV mutants had favorable clinical outcomes at 6 months after EOT. Therefore, we can consider observing the clinical courses after discontinuation of lamivudine and it is not always required to overlap the adefovir for treating lamivudine resistant HBV mutants except for the treatment of patients with a high risk of developing decompensation.

Comparison of Nutritional Status According to Serum C-reactive Protein Concentration in Hemodialysis Patients / 대한신장학회잡지

Serum C-reactive protein(sCRP) is an acute-phase reactant that exhibiting negative correlation with serum albumin concentration. It was reported that sCRP is an independent predictor of survival in both hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients, and an acute phase inflammation could be preceded by protein catabolism, hypoalbuminemia, anorexia and even atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. We have evaluated serum biochemical parameters including albumin and prealbumin, Kt/Vurea, nPCR, SGA score, anthropometric parameters and diet history in 30 ESRD patients maintained on chronic hemodialysis subdivided by sCRP concentration. Upon comparing the two subgroups[high CRP group(sCRP >or= 0.4mg/dL), n=15 vs. normal CRP group (sCRP<0.4mg/dL), n=15], high CRP group showed significantly lower levels of hemoglobin(9.3+/- 0.7 vs. 9.8+/-0.6g/L, p<0.05), hematocrit(28.3+/-2.3 vs 29.8+/-1.696, p<0.05), creatinine(9.6+/-3.1 vs. 12.2+/-2.5mg/dL, p<0.05), prealbumin(20.9+/-5.0 vs. 25.8+/-6.4mg/dL, p< 0.05), SGA score(5.0+/-1.2 vs. 5.9+/-0.7, p<0.05), and percent of patients who have higher nPCR than protein intake(85.7 vs. 28.6%, p<0.05). Ferritin was significantly higher in high CRP group(503.1+/-205.7 vs. 323.3+/-186.6, p<0.05). There were no differences in age, sex, duration of hemodialysis, prevalence of diabetic nephropathy and cardiovascular disease, Kt/Vurea, nPCR, residual renal function, amount of protein intake and other nutritional parameters. In conclusion, there was higher probability of malnutrition, anemia and protein catabolism in hemo-dialysis patients with elevated sCRP concentration.

A Case of Congenital Pericardial Defect Diagnosed by Computed Tomography

Pericardial defect is a rare congenital cardiac disorder. Most patients were asymptomatic but some patients with partial pericardial defect occasionally complain acute symptoms such as angina, syncope, rarely sudden cardiac death. So, differential diagnosis with other ischemic or structural heart disease is crucial in the management of such patients. But there is no consistently successful diagnostic method. In the past, artificial diagnostic pneumothorax was used to document the absence of pericardium. However, it is not easily accepted due to excess morbidity and failure rate. Recently, echocardiography and more often, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging are used to confirm the diagnosis. We experienced a 52 years old male patient with atypical chest pain, who was diagnosed as complete left pericardial defect with computed tomography.

Amatoxins Poisonings in Korea / 대한간학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: From the review of Korean literature most fatal mushroom poisonings have been due to amatoxins with high mortality. So far there have never been investigations on the amatoxins poisonings such as annual incidence, mortality, common causal species, and endemic areas. This study was carried out to develop some basic statistics as part of studies for an effective management of amatoxins intoxications. METHOD: For the year 1999 authors collected cases of mushroom poisonings which had been mainly gathered from hospitals nation-wide. All of the cases with suggestive amatoxins poisonings were screened by symptomatology and laboratory findings. The causal species of mushrooms were identified grossly and microscopically. RESULTS: A total of 54 victims with mushroom poisonings were evaluated. The causal mushroom toxins were diagnosed or strongly suggested as amatoxins in 43 of 54 victims. Eleven of 54 victims did not conform to the category of amatoxins intoxication due to absent or minimal elevation of aminotransferase. Mean age of the victims was 44.3 23.3 (range: 7-78) with male predominance (1.2 : 1). The causal species were confirmed, or strongly suggested, as Amanita virosa in 25 victims, Amanita subjunquillea in 14, and unknown species in 4. Thirty-five out of a total of 43 were regarded as moderate to severe intoxication (AST or ALT >1,000 IU/L) with 20% mortality. Most fatal victims showed marked thrombocytopenia (40,000 19,000/mm3) compared to non-fatal victims (109,066 42,245/mm3). A total of 88.4% of victims was developed in the Kangwon and Kyungpuk provinces. Both are west of the Taebaek Mountains (38/43). CONCLUSIONS: Although the common causal species for amatoxins poisonings in Korea are different from European countries and North America, the mortality is similar to that of those areas. In order to further reduce the mortality, bedside diagnostic methods using biological fluids and more effective therapy for liver failure should be established.

A Case of Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty with Stent in a Patient of Acute Myocardial Infarction with Situs Inversus Totalis

Situs inversus totalis with dextrocardia is a rare congenital anomaly and its incidence is approximately 1: 6,000-35,000 in general population. Such patients usually have structurally normal hearts and are expected to have normal life span. Coronary angioplasty in such patients have previously been reported, but reported cases in literature are scanty. This report describes our experience of successful percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty with stent in acute myocardial infarction patient with situs inversus totalis and dextrocardia who exhibited total occlusion of the mid left anterior descending coronary artery.