ABSTRACT
Background/Aims@#Treatment options for difficult bile duct stones are limited. Direct peroral cholangioscopy (POC)-guided lithotripsy may be an option. A newly developed multibending (MB) ultraslim endoscope has several structural features optimized for direct POC. We evaluated the utility of direct POC using an MB ultraslim endoscope for lithotripsy in patients with difficult bile duct stones. @*Methods@#Twenty patients with difficult bile duct stones, in whom stone removal using conventional endoscopic methods, including mechanical lithotripsy, had failed were enrolled from March 2018 to August 2019. Direct POC-guided lithotripsy was performed by electrohydraulic lithotripsy or laser lithotripsy. The primary outcome was complete ductal clearance, defined as the retrieval of all bile duct stones after lithotripsy confirmed by balloon-occluded cholangiography and/or direct POC. @*Results@#The technical success rate of direct POC was 100% (20/20), and the free-hand insertion rate was 95% (19/20). Direct POC-guided lithotripsy, attempted by electrohydraulic lithotripsy in nine patients (45%) and laser lithotripsy in 11 patients (55%), was successful in 95% (19/20) of the patients. Complete ductal clearance after direct POC-guided lithotripsy was achieved in 95% (19/20) of patients. Patients required a median of 2 (range, 1–3) endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography sessions for complete stone removal. Adverse event was observed in one patient (5%) with hemobilia and was treated conservatively. @*Conclusions@#Direct POC using an MB ultraslim endoscope was safe and effective for lithotripsy in patients with difficult bile duct stones.
ABSTRACT
This study explored epidemiological trends in trichomoniasis in Daegu, South Korea. Wet mount microscopy, PCR, and multiplex PCR were used to test for Trichomonas vaginalis in vaginal swab samples obtained from 621 women visiting 2 clinics in Daegu. Of the 621 women tested, microscopy detected T. vaginalis in 4 (0.6%) patients, PCR detected T. vaginalis in 19 (3.0%) patients, and multiplex PCR detected T. vaginalis in 12 (1.9%) patients. Testing via PCR demonstrated high sensitivity and high negative predictive value for T. vaginalis. Among the 19 women who tested positive for T. vaginalis according to PCR, 94.7% (18/19) reported vaginal signs and symptoms. Notably, more than 50% of T. vaginalis infections occurred in females younger than 30 years old, and 58% were unmarried. Multiplex PCR, which simultaneously detects pathogens from various sexually transmitted infections, revealed that 91.7% (11/12) of patients were infected with 2 or more pathogens. Mycoplasma hominis was the most prevalent co-infection pathogen with T. vaginalis, followed by Ureaplasma urealyticum and Chlamydia trachomatis. Our results indicate that PCR and multiplex PCR are the most sensitive tools for T. vaginalis diagnosis, rather than microscopy which has been routinely used to detect T. vaginalis infections in South Korea. Therefore, clinicians should take note of the high prevalence of T. vaginalis infections among adolescent and young women in order to prevent persistent infection and transmission of this disease.
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Adult , Female , Humans , Middle Aged , Young Adult , Ambulatory Care Facilities/statistics & numerical data , Microscopy/standards , Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction/standards , Polymerase Chain Reaction/standards , Predictive Value of Tests , Prevalence , Republic of Korea/epidemiology , Sensitivity and Specificity , Trichomonas Infections/epidemiology , Trichomonas vaginalis/physiology , Vaginal Smears/standardsABSTRACT
Omental pregnancy is an extremely rare form of abdominal pregnancy that may cause life threatening massive hemorrhage in case of rupture. It may occur by primary implantation of the fertilized ovum in the omentum. The diagnosis is very difficult, but prompt surgical intervention is required when it is suspected, because perinatal mortality and maternal mortality in abdominal pregnancy were 85~95% and 0.5~6%. We experienced a case of omental pregnancy in the first times and reported it with brief review of literature.