Endoscopic Treatment of a Pediatric Patient with Acute Pancreatitis Caused by Anomalous Union of Pancreaticobiliary Duct Combined with Incomplete Pancreatic Divisum / 대한소화기학회지

The most common causes of acute pancreatitis are microlithiasis and alcohol. In pediatrics, anomalies in pancreaticobiliary system should be considered as possible causes. Among many anomalies, pancreas divisum associated with anomalous pancreaticobiliary ductal union (APBDU) is very rare. APBDU is associated with acute pancreatitis, choledochal cyst, and gallbladder cancer. Pancreas divisum is also a well known cause of acute recurrent pancreatitis. In adult cases with such conditions, the role of endoscopic management including sphincterotomy or stenting through the Santorini duct is well documented. However, it is still controversial to perform endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in pediatrics. Herein, we experienced a case of 4 year 7 month old female patient suffered from recurrent attacks of acute pancreatitis, which were caused by APBDU and incomplete pancreas divisum. She was treated by endoscopic sphincteretomy of both openings to the Santorini's and Wirsung's ducts. Thus, we report this interesting case with literature review.

Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy Compared with Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy with Surgery in Locally Advanced Resectable Esophageal Cancer / 대한소화기학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study was designed to compare the survival rates between patients with localized esophgeal cancer who were treated with concurrent chemoradiation therapy without surgery and patients who were treated with concurrent chemoradiation therapy including surgery. METHODS: Eighty-eight patients from January 1997 to December 2005 with locally advaned resectable esophageal cancer were selected and retrospectively analyzed. Survival period was defined as the time to death from the date of diagnosis or mid-monitor period of December 2005. Sixty-one patients were treated with chemoradiation therapy alone while twenty-seven patients were treated with chemoradiation therapy in addition to surgery as for curative intention. As for radiation therapy, 5,000-5,500 cGY was used. 5-Fluouracil and cisplatin were used for chemotherapy. The primary end point was overall survival time. The secondary end point was overall progression free survival time. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in tissue type, location and clinical staging, but the median age was significantly younger in the group treated with surgery (63.4 years) than the group treated without surgery (68.8 years). Median period analyzed was 17.3 months. Five year survival rate for the group with chemoradiation alone was 7.4% and 4% for the group with surgery. The median survival rate was 11+/-3 months for the group with chemoradiation alone and 10+/-6 months for the group with surgery, in which there was no statistical difference (p=0.697). CONCLUSIONS: There was no significant increase in survival rate in patients who were treated by chemoradiation with surgery compared with chemoradiation alone. Further analysis in terms of prospective study is needed.