Syphilis Presenting as a Unilateral Incipient Papillitis

Purpose@#To report a case of unilateral incipient syphilitic papillitis.Case summary: A 53-year-old female visited for a routine ocular examination. Best-corrected visual acuities were 20/20 in both eyes and there was no abnormality in the anterior segment, pupillary response, ocular motility examination, color vision test, and there were no inflammatory cells in the anterior chamber and vitreous cavity of both eyes. However, optic disc edema and corresponding retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickening in her left eye were observed in a fundoscopic examination and by optical coherence tomography. In orbital magnetic resonance imaging, there was no abnormal enhancement of the optic nerve or optic nerve sheath in both eyes. Serological tests were positive for fluorescent treponemal antibody absorbance (FTA-ABS) immunoglobulin M (IgM) and IgG, the treponema pallidum hemagglutination test, venereal disease research laboratory (VDRL) testing, and a rapid plasma reagin test, but there was no abnormal finding in cerebrospinal fluid analyses including the VDRL and FTA-ABS tests. With the diagnosis of unilateral incipient syphilitic papillitis in her left eye, she was treated with intravenous penicillin for 14 days and high dose systemic steroids for 3 days with complete resolution of the optic disc edema and RNFL thickening. @*Conclusions@#Syphilis can present as a unilateral incipient papillitis. Therefore, in case with unilateral papillitis, serological test for syphilis, appropriate antibiotics and steroid treatment should be considered.

CMV Gastric Ulcers Healed by Supportive Therapy / 대한소화기내시경학회지

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a potentially important pathogen in an immunocompromised host. CMV infection usually occurs in patients with severe immune deficiency, such as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, organ transplantation, malignant disease, or immunosuppressive therapy. CMV can cause ulcerations anywhere in the GI tract ranging from the esophagus to the rectum, but the colon is the most susceptible organ in the GI tract. CMV infection rarely occurs but generally causes an asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic acute illness in immunocompetent patients. Some patients with gastrointestinal CMV disease do not require antiviral treatment such as ganciclovir and frequently recover with supportive therapy. Although in immunocompetent patients, antiviral therapy may be needed based on age, chronic illness, or treatment response. We experienced a case of CMV-induced multiple gastric ulcers with severe epigastric pain in an immunocompetent patient who fully recovered with supportive therapy including a proton pump inhibitor.

Two Cases of Foreign Body-induced Esophageal Perforation That Were Treated by Endoscopic Clipping and Non-surgical Management / 대한소화기내시경학회지

Perforation of the esophagus is a deadly injury that requires careful management if the patient is to survive. Prompt recognition and proper treatment of esophageal perforation may avert death or minimize complications. Esophageal perforation might be followed by mediastinitis, broncho-esophageal fistula, pneumomediastinum, peritonitis and empyema. Although primary surgical repair is the mainstay of treatment, non-surgical management can be attempted in selected patients. Endoscopic closure of an esophageal perforation with metallic clips and conservative therapy has recently been reported. We describe here two patients with esophageal perforation and pneumomediastinum that were caused by fish bones. One was completely closed by endoscopic clipping and the other was not. Non-surgical management that was made up of parenteral nutrition and antibiotic therapy produced the same successful outcomes in these two cases.

A Huge Gastric Bezoar That Was Removed by Endoscopic Combination Therapy with an Argon Plasma and Coca-Cola Injection / 대한소화기내시경학회지

Bezoars are collections or concretions of indigestible foreign material in the gastrointestinal tract. In the past, the most common method for the treatment of bezoar was surgical management. The current treatment methods for bezoars include chemical dissolution and endoscopic lithotripsy using biopsy forceps and, snare, electrohydraulic lithotripsy and laser. Cases of endoscopic fragmentation of gastric bezoars using an argon plasma and dissolution of gastric bezoars with Cola have recently been described, but it took a long time in those cases to remove a bezoar by a single method. Moreover, fragmented, residual bezoar-related complications sometimes occurred. We report here on a case of a 35-year-old man with a 10x8x8 cm sized huge gastric bezoar that was successfully removed by combination therapy using an argon plasma and Coca-Cola injection. Compared with the previous single method, combination therapy using an argon plasma and Coca-Cola injection shortened the procedure time and reduced the complications related to a fragmented, remaining bezoar.

Intramural Duodenal Hematoma following Endoscopic Epinephrine and Thrombin Injection for Bleeding Duodenal Ulcer in a Geriatric Patient with a History of Anticoagulant Drug Use / 대한소화기내시경학회지

Intramural duodenal hematoma is a rare injury of the duodenum due mainly to blunt abdominal trauma and, less commonly, a hematologic disorder, anticoagulant drug use and post-therapeutic endoscopy. Intramural duodenal hematoma following endoscopic intervention is even rarer. Patients usually present with gradual onset of vomiting and abdominal pain approximately 48 h post-injury. The hematoma usually resolves in 1~2 weeks with conservative therapy. Surgery is usually reserved for patients with suspected duodenal perforation, bile or pancreatic duct compression and inadequate resolution of the hematoma after 1~2 weeks of conservative therapy. We describe a patient with a history of anticoagulant drug use who developed intramural duodenal hematoma after endoscopic hemostasis of a bleeding duodenal ulcer. Conservative therapy produced a successful outcome.

A case of Burkholderia cepacia peritonitis in a patient on CAPD / 대한내과학회지

Burkholderia cepacia is an important opportunistic pathogen in immunocompromised and nosocomial patients, but this bacterial infection is rare in Korea. We report a case of Burkholderia cepacia peritonitis in a patient on CAPD. A 69-year-old male on CAPD for 5 years was presented with turbid peritoneal dialysate, diffuse abdominal pain and diarrhea. He was treated initially with intraperitoneal cefazolin and ceftazidime, and then intraperitoneal meropenem and oral TMP/SMX. His symptoms had improved with antibiotic treatment, but white blood cell counts of dialysate increased, instead. Burkholderia cepacia was isoloated from peritoneal fluid culture. The patient refused catheter removal in spite of our recommendation. He died of suddenly developed acute myocardial infarction and upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Catether tip culture also revealed Burkholderia cepacia.