Endoscopic Transpapillary Gallbladder Stenting for Acute Cholecystitis in a Patient with Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer / 대한내과학회지

Percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage is an effective treatment for acute cholecystitis in poor surgical candidates. Endoscopic gallbladder drainage procedures, such as endoscopic ultrasound-guided gallbladder drainage, endoscopic gallbladder stenting, and endoscopic naso-gallbladder drainage, have been used as alternative treatments for acute cholecystitis. These procedures are associated with increased patient comfort and physiologic drainage. We report a case of endoscopic gallbladder stenting for acute cholecystitis in a 62-year-old male undergoing chemotherapy for metastatic pancreatic cancer. After endoscopic gallbladder stenting, the patient’s acute cholecystitis resolved and he was able to undergo scheduled chemotherapy. The inserted double-pigtail plastic stent will be left in situ permanently. The choice of drainage modality for acute cholecystitis will generally be based on resources, patient preferences, local expertise, and clinical context.

Pancreatic Cancer in a Young Male in His Twenties / 대한내과학회지

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal malignancies worldwide. The risk of developing pancreatic cancer increases with age. Pancreatic cancer is seen mostly in the elderly; patients under the age of 30 years are rare. Known risk factors for pancreatic cancer include genetic mutations, smoking, chronic pancreatitis, and diabetes mellitus. We report a case of pancreatic cancer in a 27-year-old man without the PRSS1 mutation. Chronic pancreatitis and smoking may have contributed to the development of pancreatic cancer in this patient. We also conducted a literature review on early onset pancreatic cancer.

Erratum: Type 2 Autoimmune Pancreatitis (Idiopathic Duct-Centric Pancreatitis) Highlighting Patients Presenting as Clinical Acute Pancreatitis: A Single-Center Experience

In the version of this article initially published, the fifth author's name was stated as “Joo Nam Lee.

Type 2 Autoimmune Pancreatitis (Idiopathic Duct-Centric Pancreatitis) Highlighting Patients Presenting as Clinical Acute Pancreatitis: A Single-Center Experience

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Type 2 autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) has been considered extremely rare in East Asia. This study aimed to clarify the prevalence, clinical characteristics and radiological findings of type 2 AIP highlighting patients presenting as acute pancreatitis in a single center. METHODS: Type 2 AIP patients were classified according to International Consensus Diagnostic Criteria. Radiological findings were compared between type 2 AIP presenting as acute pancreatitis and gallstone pancreatitis. RESULTS: Among 244 patients with AIP, 27 (11.1%) had type 2 AIP (definite, 15 [55.5%] and probable 12 [44.5%]). The median age of patients with type 2 AIP was 29 years (interquartile range, 20 to 39 years). Acute pancreatitis was the most common initial presentation (n=17, 63%) while obstructive jaundice was present in only one patient. Ulcerative colitis (UC) was associated with type 2 AIP in 44.4% (12/27) of patients. Radiological pancreatic imaging such as delayed enhancement of diffusely enlarged pancreas, homogeneous enhancement of focal enlargement/mass, absent/minimal peripancreatic fat infiltration or fluid collection, and multifocal main pancreatic duct narrowings were helpful for differentiating type 2 AIP from gallstone pancreatitis. During follow-up (median, 32.3 months), two patients (2/25, 8%) experienced relapse. CONCLUSIONS: In South Korea, type 2 AIP is not as rare as previously thought. Overall, the clinical profile of type 2 AIP was similar to that of Western countries. Type 2 AIP should be considered in young UC patients with acute pancreatitis of uncertain etiology.

Superficial Esophageal Cancer with Deep Submucosal Invasion Misdiagnosed as a Subepithelial Tumor

Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) is commonly used to detect the depth of cancer invasion in the preoperative stage. Intrapapillary capillary loop (IPCL) patterns observed in magnification endoscopy with narrow band image are also known to well demonstrate cancer invasion depth. Here, we report a case of superficial esophageal cancer with massive submucosal invasion, which presented as a superficial esophageal cancer confined to the mucosal layer and with a coincidental hypoechoic submucosal tumor under EUS and IPCL evaluation.

Lymphangioma of the Esophagus

Lymphangioma of the esophagus is a rare submucosal benign tumor. A 49-year-old man was referred because of a foreign body sensation in the esophagus. In endoscopy, a 10.0×1.0-cm longitudinal, translucent, whitish yellow mass covered with normal esophageal mucosa was found in the lower esophagus. Endoscopic ultrasonography revealed a heterogeneous, mainly hypoechoic, well-circumscribed lesion located in the third layer. Incisional biopsy was performed, and histologic findings showed multiple dilated lymphatic vessels, consistent with lymphangioma. After 3 months of proton pump inhibitor treatment, the symptom was relieved and the patient is currently asymptomatic and under surveillance.

Risk Factors for Progression to Postpartum Diabetes Mellitus and Perinatal Complications in Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus / 임상당뇨병

BACKGROUND: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a hyperglycemic condition caused by increased insulin resistance and impaired insulin secretion during pregnancy. It is known to be temporary, but it can cause perinatal complications in the mother and baby. Additionally, it may progress to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In the present study, we evaluated the risk factors for complications and progression to T2DM in patients with GDM. METHODS: The study included 130 pregnant women who were diagnosed with GDM at gestational weeks 24-28 in 2011. Body mass index and the levels of glucose, total cholesterol, lipoproteins, and coagulation factors (von Willebrand factor and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1) were assessed in all patients. RESULTS: The level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) was significantly lower and the triglyceride/HDL ratio and coagulation factor levels were significantly higher in the group of patients with perinatal complications compared to those in the group of patients without complications. After delivery, the level of HDL was lower and the value of homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was higher in women with impaired glucose metabolism compared to those in women with normal glucose metabolism. In logistic regression analysis, perinatal complications were independently associated with HDL and PAI-1 levels (OR = 0.929 and 1.101, respectively). CONCLUSION: The findings of our study show that the levels of HDL and coagulation factors are notable risk factors of perinatal complications. Additionally, we showed that lower HDL level may influence the progression to T2DM. Large-scale population studies are needed to verify our findings.

Intussusception Induced by Cecal Metastasis of Primary Small Cell Lung Cancer / 대한내과학회지

Large bowel metastasis from a primary lung cancer is rare and is hard to be asymptomatic. We report a case of intussusception without any symptoms caused by cecal metastasis of primary small cell lung cancer. A 70-year-old woman was admitted to hospital with cough and sputum of 3 weeks' duration. She was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer based on percutaneous needle biopsy of a lung mass identified by chest CT. In abdominal CT, multiple metastatic lesions were detected in the left adrenal gland and cecum with intussusception. After further colonoscopy and biopsy evaluations, the pathology results showed metastatic cancer originating from small cell cancer of the lung.

A Case of Neurosyphilis Presenting as a Stroke in a Patient with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection / 대한내과학회지

While the neurologic manifestations of syphilis are diverse, stroke is a rare initial manifestation. We report a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patient whose neurosyphilis presented as a stroke. A 42-year-old male visited the emergency room due to decreased mental functioning. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed acute infarct on the left frontal, temporal, and parietal lobes. A serum Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) test was positive. ELISA for HIV antibody and Western blot assays revealed he was infected with HIV. The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) VDRL test was positive and protein was increased. The patient was treated with heparization and penicillin G for 14 days. His mental status improved with treatment, and CSF protein and VDRL titers were also decreased 3 months after treatment.

An Inverse Relationship between the Expression of the Gastric Tumor Suppressor RUNX3 and Infection with Helicobacter pylori in Gastric Epithelial Dysplasia

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study was performed to determine the association between RUNX3 expression and Helicobacter pylori infection in premalignant gastric lesions. METHODS: We examined 107 patients with gastric epithelial dysplasia who had undergone endoscopic mucosal resection or submucosal dissection. All tissue samples were evaluated by RUNX3 staining and subclassified by immunophenotype. H. pylori infection in dysplastic lesions and the normal surrounding tissue was examined by silver staining, and cagA status was assessed by polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: The loss of RUNX3 expression was observed in 62 cases (57.9%), and an association with H. pylori infection was found in 54 cases (50.5%). The infection rate with the cagA-positive H. pylori strain was 63.0%. In RUNX3-negative lesions, the rate of H. pylori infection (p=0.03) and the frequency of category 4 lesions (according to the revised Vienna classification) were high (p=0.02). In addition, the gastric mucin phenotype was predominant. In RUNX3-negative category 4 lesions, the rate of cagA-positive H. pylori infection rate was high but not significantly increased (p=0.08). CONCLUSIONS: Infection with H. pylori is associated with inactivation of RUNX3 in early gastric carcinogenesis. This mechanism was prominent in gastric cancer with a gastric mucin phenotype.

Asymptomatic Myxoma Originating from the Right Ventricular Outflow Tract

Asymptomatic right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) myxoma is quite rare. We report an unusual case of asymptomatic myxoma arising from the RVOT which was successfully surgically removed.

Synchronous Incidental Occurrence of Gastric Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor and Colon Adenocarcinoma / 대한소화기내시경학회지

A few cases of gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) synchronous cancers with other malignancies have been reported, such as gastric cancer, pancreatic cancer, renal cell carcinoma, colon cancer, and carcinoid tumor. However, little is known about their coincidence with other tumors with a different histogenesis. A 62-year-old man visited our hospital with generalized weakness and intermittent hematochezia. A colonoscopic examination showed an ulcerating mass in the ascending colon, and a biopsy specimen revealed adenocarcinoma. A lobulated submucosal mass in the gastric fundus was found incidentally during the preoperative staging procedures, including computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography-CT. The colon cancer and gastric tumor were removed simultaneously (laparoscopy assisted right hemicolectomy and total gastrectomy). Immunohistochemical studies on the gastric tumor surgical specimen showed that it was CD117 (+) and CD34 (+), and the final diagnosis was a GIST of the stomach. Herein, we report a case of the synchronous occurrence of colon adenocarcinoma and gastric GIST.