Comparison between the Effectiveness of Oral Phloroglucin and Cimetropium Bromide as Premedication for Diagnostic Esophagogastroduodenoscopy: An Open-Label, Randomized, Comparative Study

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Suppression of gastrointestinal (GI) peristalsis during GI endoscopy commonly requires antispasmodic agents such as hyoscine butylbromide, atropine, glucagon, and cimetropium bromide. This study examined the efficacy of oral phloroglucin for the suppression of peristalsis, its impact on patient compliance, and any associated complications, and compared it with intravenous or intramuscular cimetropium bromide administration. METHODS: This was a randomized, investigator-blind, prospective comparative study. A total of 172 patients were randomized into two groups according to the following medications administered prior to upper endoscopy: oral phloroglucin (group A, n=86), and cimetropium bromide (group B, n=86). The numbers and the degrees of peristalsis events at the antrum and second duodenal portion were assessed for 30 seconds. RESULTS: A significantly higher number of gastric peristalsis events was observed in group A (0.49 vs. 0.08, p<0.001), but the difference was not clinically significant. No significant difference between both groups was found in the occurrence of duodenal peristalsis events (1.79 vs. 1.63, p=0.569). The incidence of dry mouth was significantly higher with cimetropium bromide than with phloroglucin (50% vs. 15.1%, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Oral phloroglucin can be used as an antispasmodic agent during upper endoscopy, and shows antispasmodic efficacy and adverse effects similar to those of cimetropium bromide.

What's the Clinical Features of Colitis in Elderly People in Long-Term Care Facilities?

BACKGROUND/AIMS: As life expectancy has increased, the number of elderly patients who need long-term care has grown rapidly. Mortality in patients with colitis in long-term care facilities (LTCFs) is increasing. We intend to investigate the main causes of colitis in LTCFs compared to those of colitis in local communities, and to identify the clinical features and risk factors of patients with colitis in LTCFs. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed epidemiology, medical conditions, laboratory values, diagnoses, and clinical courses of elderly patients aged > or =65 who were admitted to the Ewha Womans University hospital with colitis between January 2007 and July 2012. RESULTS: Patients with colitis in LTCFs (n=20) were compared with elderly patients with colitis in local communities (n=154). Fifty-five percent of colitis in LTCFs was caused by Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), 30% was due to ischemic colitis, and 15% was due to non-specific colitis. Non-specific colitis was the most common (63%) in the community group. Clinical outcomes were also significantly different between both groups: higher mortality (10.0% vs. 0.64%, P=0.021), higher requirement for intensive care units care (50.0% vs. 18.8%, P<0.01) in LTCFs group. In univariate analysis, the most significant risk factor for death in patients in LTCFs was decreased mental faculties. CONCLUSIONS: Patients in LTCFs showed worse clinical outcomes and a much higher prevalence of CDI compared to patients from local communities. We suggest early and active evaluation, such as endoscopic examination, for differential diagnosis in patients in LTCFs.

What's the Clinical Features of Colitis in Elderly People in Long-Term Care Facilities?

BACKGROUND/AIMS: As life expectancy has increased, the number of elderly patients who need long-term care has grown rapidly. Mortality in patients with colitis in long-term care facilities (LTCFs) is increasing. We intend to investigate the main causes of colitis in LTCFs compared to those of colitis in local communities, and to identify the clinical features and risk factors of patients with colitis in LTCFs. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed epidemiology, medical conditions, laboratory values, diagnoses, and clinical courses of elderly patients aged > or =65 who were admitted to the Ewha Womans University hospital with colitis between January 2007 and July 2012. RESULTS: Patients with colitis in LTCFs (n=20) were compared with elderly patients with colitis in local communities (n=154). Fifty-five percent of colitis in LTCFs was caused by Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), 30% was due to ischemic colitis, and 15% was due to non-specific colitis. Non-specific colitis was the most common (63%) in the community group. Clinical outcomes were also significantly different between both groups: higher mortality (10.0% vs. 0.64%, P=0.021), higher requirement for intensive care units care (50.0% vs. 18.8%, P<0.01) in LTCFs group. In univariate analysis, the most significant risk factor for death in patients in LTCFs was decreased mental faculties. CONCLUSIONS: Patients in LTCFs showed worse clinical outcomes and a much higher prevalence of CDI compared to patients from local communities. We suggest early and active evaluation, such as endoscopic examination, for differential diagnosis in patients in LTCFs.

Iatrogenic Rectal Diverticulum With Pelvic-Floor Dysfunction in Patients After a Procedure for a Prolapsed Hemorrhoid

Diverticula are frequently seen in the sigmoid, descending, ascending and transverse colons whereas rectal diverticula are extremely rare. The stapled rectal mucosectomy for the treatment of a prolapsed hemorrhoid is less painful and has lower morbidity; therefore, it has been commonly used despite possible complications. This paper reports a case of a rectal diverticulum that developed after a procedure for prolapsed hemorrhoids (PPH). A 42-year-old man with a history of hemorrhoidectomies came to the hospital because of constipation. On sigmoidoscopy, a 2-cm-sized, feces-filled pocket was located just above the anorectal junction. After removal of the fecal material, a huge rectal diverticulum (-4 cm in diameter) was seen. Pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirmed the diagnosis of rectal diverticulum outpouching through the muscular layer of the intestine in a left posterolateral direction. The patient was discharged without complication after a transanal diverticulectomy had been performed, and the direct rectal wall had been repaired.

Treatment of Proximal Esophagobronchial Fistula with an Anti-migration Esophageal Stent

An esophagobronchial fistula is a life threatening complication of esophageal carcinoma. Although placement of esophageal stents is the preferred treatment for esophagobronchical fistula, experience of stenting at the proximal esophagus is limited due to technical difficulties, patients' discomfort and high risk of complications. We report here a patient with an esophagobronchial fistula at the proximal esophagus who was successfully treated by insertion of a self expandable metal stent and earlobe fixation by a connective tube for preventing stent migration. A 46-year-old man had an inoperable esophageal carcinoma and lung abscess due to esophagobronchial fistula. Our first placement of stent at the proximal esophagus failed because of foreign-body sensations and stent migration to the proximal region. For the second time, treatment adding an earlobe fixation tool for anti-migration to the esophageal stent was successful with no serious procedure-related complications. The stent completely sealed off the fistula in the patient without further aspiration and serious discomfort symptoms. Lung abscess and pneumonia gradually improved. Anti-migration esophageal stents can be effective in preventing stent migration for the treatment of proximal esophagobronchial fistula due to malignancy.

Disseminated Tuberculosis in a Patient with Chronic Renal Failure / 이화의대지

Patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) are known to be more susceptible to tuberculosis infection due to impairment of the host defense mechanism. Although extrapulmonary tuberculosis is more prevalent in those subjects and it may induce dismal outcome, its diagnosis has been challenging since there is no specific symptoms of the disease and the clinical course is usually atypical. Herein, We report a case of disseminated tuberculosis diagnosed by ultrasound-guided liver biopsy in a 31-year-old CRF patient presenting sustained fever despite broad-spectrum antimicrobial therapy and progressive cholestatic jaundice.

Hemorrhagic cystitis with massive bleeding from nontyphoidal Salmonella infection: A case report

Hemorrhagic cystitis is defined by lower urinary tract symptoms that include dysuria, hematuria, and hemorrhage and is caused by viral or bacterial infection or chemotherapeutic agents. Reports of hemorrhagic cystitis caused by non-typhoidal salmonella (NTS) are extremely rare. We report a case of a 41-year-old man with hemorrhagic cystitis from NTS that caused massive bleeding and shock. The patient was hospitalized for uncontrolled diabetes and obstructive uropathy related to severe cystitis. A urine culture was positive for group D NTS. This case demonstrated that hemorrhagic cystitis in a patient with a risk factor such as diabetes can be a manifestation of local extraintestinal NTS infection.

A Case of Double Primary Cancers in the Esophagus and Stomach / 이화의대지

Double primary cancers are two independently developed cancers in an individual. There have been some reports on double primary cancer since Billroth reported it for the first time in 1879. Double primary cancer of the stomach and esophagus has been revealed a very low incidence worldwide. The incidence of an esophageal cancer with another primary cancer is reported to be 9.5~27%, but double primary cancers in the esophagus and stomach have been rarely reported to our knowledge. In this study, we present here a case of double primary esophageal and stomach cancer in a 66-year-old man because of progressive dysphagia.

A Case of Double Pylorus Presenting with Ulcer Bleeding / 이화의대지

Double pylorus is one of the rare anomalies of gastrointestinal tract, which have an accessory canal connecting the distal stomach to the duodenal bulb. The majority of the cases is thought to be acquired lesions from ulcer disease except some congenital cases. We report a case of a 77 year-old male who was visited the hospital because of the melena and diagnosed double pylorus. The relevant literatures on subject were reviewed.