Recurrent Cholangitis due to Hem-o-lok Clip Migration after Laparoscopic Common Bile Duct Exploration Treated with Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography / 대한췌담도학회지

Clip migration into the common bile duct (CBD) is a rare complication of laparoscopic biliary surgery. We report a case of Hem-o-lok clip migration-induced CBD stone in a 66-year-old man who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) and laparoscopic common bile duct exploration (LCBDE) 4 years ago. The patient visited the emergency room for upper abdominal pain. CT scan revealed increased CBD diameter and multiple CBD stones. We performed endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography for CBD stone extraction. Cholangiography revealed multiple suspected filling defects in the CBD; stones and unknown foreign body were removed using Basket. The foreign body found in the duodenum was a Hem-o-lok clip. When epigastric pain develops in a patient who has undergone LC and LCBDE, it is possible that biliary stone occurs due to clip migration.

Recurrent Cholangitis due to Hem-o-lok Clip Migration after Laparoscopic Common Bile Duct Exploration Treated with Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography / 대한췌담도학회지

Clip migration into the common bile duct (CBD) is a rare complication of laparoscopic biliary surgery. We report a case of Hem-o-lok clip migration-induced CBD stone in a 66-year-old man who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) and laparoscopic common bile duct exploration (LCBDE) 4 years ago. The patient visited the emergency room for upper abdominal pain. CT scan revealed increased CBD diameter and multiple CBD stones. We performed endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography for CBD stone extraction. Cholangiography revealed multiple suspected filling defects in the CBD; stones and unknown foreign body were removed using Basket. The foreign body found in the duodenum was a Hem-o-lok clip. When epigastric pain develops in a patient who has undergone LC and LCBDE, it is possible that biliary stone occurs due to clip migration.

Cholangitis Caused by Hereditary Spherocytosis in Adulthood Treated by Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography / 대한췌담도학회지

Hereditary spherocytosis is a disease caused by deficiency of erythrocyte lipid membrane protein. Hereditary spherocytosis shows hemolysis of erythrocyte, and it leads to anemia, jaundice by elevation of indirect bilirubin. Almost of patients are diagnosed in their infancy, and can be cured by splenectomy about their age 6–7. Herein, we report a rare case of 33-year-old male was suffered from gallbladder stone and cholangitis those are thought to be the late complications of hereditary spherocytosis. We performed endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreaticography to remove common bile duct stones. After he got cholecystectomy and splenectomy, there was no recurrence of choledocholithiasis. This is the first case in Korea who didn’t undergo splenectomy until grown up, shows cholangitis as a late disease manifestation of hereditary spherocytosis.

Discrepancy between the Actual Clinical Status of Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Expectations from Hepatocellular Carcinoma Surveillance: a Single-Center Study

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The National Liver Cancer Screening Program (NLCSP) has been implemented for the past 15 years in Korea. However, the actual clinical experience in Korea is inconsistent with the expectations of the hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surveillance program. To evaluate the actual clinical situation of HCC diagnoses, we investigated disease severity in patients with HCC and the diagnostic environment. METHODS: From January 2011 to December 2015, all patients who were diagnosed with HCC in a single secondary hospital in Daejeon city were retrospectively enrolled in this study. Severity of HCC was evaluated according to the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) staging system. RESULTS: Over the course of 5 years, 298 participants were enrolled. The mean age of participants was 64.0 years. Positive hepatitis B surface antigen was confirmed in 134 patients (45.0%), 35 patients (11.7%) tested positive for anti-hepatitis C virus antibody, and 93 patients (32.2%) had more than 40 g/day of alcohol consumption. The proportions of patients according to BCLC stages were as follows: BCLC-0, 28 patients (9.4%); BCLC-A, 42 patients (14.1%); BCLC-B, 26 patients (8.7%); BCLC-C, 134 patients (45.0%); and BCLC-D, 68 patients (22.8%). The diagnostic environments were as follows: 19 patients were in the NLCSP group (6.4%), 114 in the group with presenting signs (38.3%), 110 in the regular outpatient care group (36.9%), and 55 patients in the incidental diagnosis group (18.5%). CONCLUSIONS: Most patients (67.8%) had advanced stage HCC at diagnosis, and curative treatment was not indicated due to the severity disease. Thus, the actual situation is far worse than the theoretical expectation of HCC surveillance, suggesting that many high-risk patients for HCC are missed in surveillance.

Hepatic Failure Due to Hepatitis E Virus Infection in a Patient with Necrotic Hepatocellular Carcinoma

In patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) or liver cirrhosis (LC) accompanied by hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection, hepatic failure often leads to debility. Here, we report about a 63-year-old man with alcoholic LC who was referred to our hospital with jaundice and abdominal distension 10 days earlier. Abdominal computed tomography showed necrotic HCC accompanied by left lobe shrinkage without tumor progression. Laboratory and imaging findings revealed no acute infection focus. The patient reported no herbal medicine or alcohol consumption, and there was no evidence of acute viral hepatitis. One month later, HEV immunoglobulin M positivity was confirmed, and deterioration of liver function due to HEV infection was suspected. The patient often ate raw oysters and sashimi, as well as boar meat, which is a well-known risk food for HEV infection. His umbilical hernia deteriorated due to tense ascites and infection by skin abrasion. The patient progressed to hepatorenal syndrome and eventually died. Liver function preservation is important when treating HCC patients. Therefore, clinicians should pay more attention to the prevention of HEV and others causes of direct liver injury.

Selective Biliary Cannulation for a Papilla in the 9 o'clock Position Using Pull and Rotatable Sphincterotome / 대한췌담도학회지

No abstract available.

Efficacy and Safety of Daclatasvir and Asunaprevir in Patients with Hepatitis C Virus Genotype 1b Infection on Hemodialysis

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We evaluated the efficacy and safety of daclatasvir (DCV) and asunaprevir (ASV) in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection on hemodialysis. METHODS: We performed a single-arm, multicenter prospective study. Twenty-one chronic hemodialysis patients with HCV infection were prospectively enrolled from February 2016 to April 2017. We evaluated the virological responses at weeks 4, 12, and 24 (end of treatment [EOT]) and the sustained virological response at 12 weeks after the EOT (SVR12). The tolerability and safety of the drugs were also assessed. RESULTS: None of the 20 patients had the NS5A resistance-associated variant (NS5A RAV), and one patient was indeterminate for the NS5A RAV. Seventeen patients (80%) completed the 24 weeks of treatment with DCV and ASV. Four patients discontinued the study prior to week 12. In an intention-to-treat analysis, the SVR12 was 76.1%. In a per-protocol analysis, patients who completed DCV and ASV treatment achieved an SVR12 of 100%. DCV and ASV were well tolerated by the majority of patients. Three patients discontinued treatment due to adverse events (AEs) including dizziness, dyspnea, and neutropenia. The patient with indeterminate NS5A RAV showed viral breakthrough and discontinued treatment. CONCLUSIONS: DCV and ASV combination therapy in chronic hemodialysis patients with HCV infection achieved a high SVR12 rate with few AEs. To maximize the SVR12 rate, it is important to identify candidates by baseline RAV testing. Close monitoring of the safety and tolerability of DCV and ASV may be necessary in HCV-infected patients on hemodialysis. (ClinicalTrials.gov ID NCT02580474)

Acute Pancreatitis in a Pregnant Patient with Type IV Hyperlipoproteinemia / 대한췌담도학회지

Most cases of hypertriglyceridemia (HTG)-induced gestational pancreatitis occur when a person with hyperlipidemia is overweight due to pregnancy or has secondary triggers associated with triglycerides (TGs). In Korea, 6 cases of HTG-induced gestational pancreatitis have been reported, but none of the affected patients had TG levels below 1,000 mg/dL. A 36-year-old female at 30 weeks of gestation was admitted due to pain in her upper abdomen. Initial biochemical analysis revealed a TG level of 260 mg/dL, an amylase level of 2,951 U/L and a lipase level of 3,500 U/L. Abdominal ultrasonography showed pancreatic swelling with a hypoechogenic rim. After several days, the patient was discharged and had a normal delivery at 38 weeks of gestation. This case report is the first to describe acute pancreatitis occurring in the presence of type IV hyperlipoproteinemia even though the TG level was less than 500 mg/dL, contrary to findings in previously reported cases.

Efficacy and safety of sofosbuvir plus ribavirin for Korean patients with hepatitis C virus genotype 2 infection: A retrospective multi-institutional study

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Sofosbuvir plus ribavirin is a standard treatment for patients infected with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 2 in Korea. The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy and safety of this treatment in Korean patients with chronic HCV genotype 2 infection. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed clinical data of patients treated with sofosbuvir plus ribavirin for chronic HCV genotype 2 from May 2016 to December 2017 at eight hospitals located in the Daejeon-Chungcheong area. RESULTS: A total of 172 patients were treated with sofosbuvir plus ribavirin. Of them, 163 patients completed the treatment, and 162 patients were tested for sustained virologic response 12 weeks after treatment discontinuation (SVR12). Mean age was 59.6±12.3 years (27–96), and 105 (64.4%) patients were female. Of the total patients, 49 (30.1%) were diagnosed with cirrhosis, and 31 of them were treated for 16 weeks. Sofosbuvir plus ribavirin was the first-line treatment for 144 (88.3%) patients. Eleven (6.7%) patients were intolerant to previous interferon-based treatment. Eight (5.0%) patients relapsed after interferon-based treatment. HCV RNA non-detection rate at 4, 8, and 12 weeks was 97.5%, 99.1%, and 99.3%, respectively, and SVR12 was 98.8% (161/163). During treatment, 18 (11.0%) patients had to reduce their administrated dose of ribavirin because of anemia. One patient stopped the treatment because of severe anemia. Other adverse events, including dizziness, indigestion, and headache, were found in 26 (16.0%) patients. CONCLUSIONS: A 12-16 week treatment with sofosbuvir plus ribavirin is remarkably effective and well tolerated in Korean patients with chronic HCV genotype 2 infection.

Common Bile Duct Stone Removal with Side-viewing Duodenoscope after Forward-Viewing Endoscope-Guided Pancreatic Stent Insertion in a Patient with Periampullary Diverticulum / 대한췌담도학회지

No abstract available.

Effectiveness of cholangioscopy using narrow band imaging for hepatobiliary malignancies

PURPOSE: Recently, cholangioscopy using narrow band imaging (NBI) has been used as a diagnostic modality for better visualization in hepatobiliary malignancies; however, there are few reports on it. Our aim is to evaluate the effectiveness of cholangioscopy using NBI in hepatobiliary malignancies. METHODS: Between January 2007 and December 2016, 152 cholangioscopies using percutaneous approach were conducted in total 123 patients. Among these, 36 patients were suspicious of hepatobiliary malignancies. Thirteen patients with an ambiguous margin on endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) or magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP), for whom NBI tipped the balance in diagnosis of lesion and decision of lesion extent by adding NBI, were involved in our study. RESULTS: Underlying diseases were all malignant in 13 patients (11 bile duct cancers, 1 liver cancer, 1 pancreas cancer with common bile duct invasion). In 7 cases with papillary type tumor, minute superficial spreading tumor was detected by NBI more easily, and NBI provided a better visualization of tumor vessel and margin evaluation in 4 cases with infiltrative tumor. In 2 cases with mucin-hypersecreting tumor, NBI showed better penetration through the mucin and gave us a much clearer image. Nine patients ultimately underwent surgical resection. The margins predicted by NBI cholangioscopy were consistent with the pathological margins on the resected specimens. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, cholangioscopy using NBI is very useful for evaluation of suspected hepatobiliary malignancies with an ambiguous margin on ERCP or MRCP. It can give us an accurate pathologic mapping, and this information seems to be essential before deciding on a treatment strategy.

High-Grade Mixed Adenoneuroendocrine Carcinoma in the Cecum: A Case Report

Gastrointestinal neoplasms with an exocrine and a neuroendocrine component are rare. Such neoplasms are called “mixed adenoneuroendocrine carcinomas” (MANECs) according to the most recent World Health Organization classification of gastrointestinal tract neoplasms. MANECs have no specific findings that distinguish them from pure adenocarcinomas. In addition, the optimal management strategy of MANECs is largely unknown. We describe the case of a 32-year-old man with dizziness and abdominal bloating. A cecal mass was suspected based on an image study done at a local clinic. We evaluated the cecal mass by using colonoscopy, contrast enhanced computed tomography of the abdomen, positron emission tomography-computed tomography, and laboratory studies. The patient underwent a right hemicolectomy and adjuvant chemotherapy. The final histopathological diagnosis was a high-grade MANEC of the ascending colon, tumor stage T3N2M0.

ERCP and Direct Cholangioscopy with Gastroscope in Patients with Ectopic Opening of the Bile Duct into the Duodenal Bulb: A Report of 3 Cases / 대한췌담도학회지

Ectopic openings of the common bile duct into the duodenal bulb, which are associated with biliary tract disease or recurrent/refractory duodenal ulcers, are rare. We report three such cases, all of which were documented with gastroscope, and two of which were managed with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) via gastroscope. We suggest that ERCP can be performed with gastroscope, since it may offer a better working position in certain cases.

Obstructive Jaundice Caused by Tuberculous Lymphadenopathies

Although pulmonary tuberculosis is known to be the most common type in tuberculosis, it actually can affect any organ system. However, abdominal type is very rare among the extra-pulmonary types, and obstructive jaundice caused by lymphadenopathies due to tuberculosis is especially uncommon manifestation even in endemic areas. Tuberculous lymphadenopathies can mimic lymphadenopathies by other metastatic tumors or lymphoma, thus early correct diagnosis is very important for avoiding unnecessary surgical interventions. Here, we reported two cases of obstructive jaundice caused by tuberculous lymphadenopathies. Both were treated with anti-tuberculosis medications and endoscopic retrograde biliary drainage without surgery.

A Case of Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Bleeding of the Pancreas Manifesting As Cholangitis / 대한췌담도학회지

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the second most common urological malignancy and it has diverse range of clinical manifestation. One third of the patients show the metastasis at the time of the diagnosis. The common sites of metastasis are the lung, bone, lymph nodes and metastasis to the pancreas is rare. In case of pancreatic metastasis, more than half of the patients are asymptomatic. Patients with symptoms visit hospital complaining of abdominal pain, weight loss, steatorrhea and rarely biliary obstruction. Although about 40% of all patients visit hospital with hemorrhage, cholangitis caused by spontaneous pancreatic hemorrhage is rare. We report an interesting case of 61-year-old woman with cholangitis caused by bleeding due to pancreatic metastasis from renal cell carcinoma.

A Case of Sparganosis by Ingestion of Undercooked Snakes That Mimicked Peritoneal Carcinomatosis / 대한내과학회지

Sparganosis is a zoonosis caused by sparganum. Humans can be exposed to sparganum by ingesting undercooked snakes or drinking infected copepods harboring sparganum. Sparganosis commonly manifests as migrating subcutaneous masses and may involve multiple organ systems such as the musculoskeletal system, central nervous system, the eyes, and the genitourinary system. We report here a case of laparoscopically confirmed sparganosis caused by ingestion of undercooked snakes. The sparganosis involved the liver and peritoneum and was initially difficult to differentiate from peritoneal carcinomatosis.

Randomized clinical trial on the efficacy of Escherichia coli-derived rhBMP-2 with beta-TCP/HA in extraction socket

PURPOSE: This randomized clinical trial was conducted to assess the safety and effectiveness of the ErhBMP-2 in alveolar bone regeneration as well as preservation of the beta-TCP bone graft material that contains ErhBMP-2. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study involved 72 patients at the 3 study centers. The patients, who were divided into 2 groups: the experiment group who had ErhBMP-2 coated TCP/HA and the control group who had TCP/HA graft material alone transplanted immediately after tooth extraction. CT was taken before and 3 months after the transplantation and healing status was compared between the two groups. The efficacy endpoints that were used to measure the degree of bone induction included alveolar bone height and 3 measurements of bone width. The paired t test was used to determine the significance of the changes (P<.05). RESULTS: Changes in alveolar bone height were -1.087 +/- 1.413 mm in the control group and -.059 +/- 0.960 mm in the experimental group (P<.01). At 25% extraction socket length [ESL], the changes were 0.006 +/- 1.149 mm in the control group and 1.279 +/- 1.387 mm in the experimental group. At 50% ESL, the changes were 0.542 +/- 1.157 mm and 1.239 +/- 1.249 mm, respectively (P<.01 for 25% ESL, and P<.05 for 50% ESL). During the experiment, no adverse reactions to the graft material were observed. CONCLUSION: ErhBMP-2 coated beta-TCP/HA were found to be more effective in preserving alveolar bone than conventional beta-TCP/HA alloplastic bone graft materials.

A Case of Adenosquamous Carcinoma of the Ampulla of Vater / 대한소화기내시경학회지

Primary adenosquamous carcinoma arising from the papilla of Vater is an extremely rare tumor. Here we report a case of adenosquamous carcinoma of the duodenal major papilla. The patient was a 56-year-old man presenting with abdominal discomfort and anorexia. A computed tomography (CT) scan showed dilatation of the common bile duct (CBD) and both intrahepatic ducts with a suspicious mass in the distal CBD. Duodenoscopy revealed a mass with an irregular surface at the papilla. The patient underwent Whipple's operation. He was diagnosed as having adenosquamous carcinoma of the papilla of Vater. Eighteen months after pancreaticoduodenectomy, metastatic lymph nodes were noted in a follow-up CT scan.

Bilateral Coats' Disease: A Case Report

PURPOSE: To report a case of bilateral Coats' disease. CASE SUMMARY: A 19-month-old boy presented with esodeviation of his eyes, which started 5 months prior. A fundus exam showed total bullous exudative retinal detachment with retinal vascular telangiectasia in the right eye and localized exudative retinal detachment with vascular telangiectasia at the inferior periphery in the right eye. Fluorescein angiogram of the left eye showed retinal telangiectatic vessels, avascular area and fluorescein leakeage from telangiectatic vessels. The patient received external drainage of subretinal fluid and intravitreal air injection of the right eye and Argon LASER photocoagulation and cryotheraphy of the left eye. A cytologic exam of the subretinal fluid drained from the right eye showed no malignant cells. Forty-four months after the operation, his best corrected visual acuity was no light perception in the right eye and 0.4 in the left eye. Both fundi were flat and stable. No complications, such as glaucoma, recurred retinal detachment, or pain, occurred. CONCLUSIONS: Coats' disease rarely occurs bilaterally and can be involved asymmetrically. The disease presents more severely when bilateral and can progress after long-term observation. Proper treatment and long-term follow-up of both eyes are necessary to prevent visual loss and preserve eyes.

Leber's Hereditary Optic Neuropathy in a Patient Diagnosed With Normal Tension Glaucoma: A Case Report

PURPOSE: Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) is caused by point mutations in mitochondrial DNA. The authors report a case of a middle-aged man with genetically confirmed LHON, combined with bilateral normal tension glaucoma (NTG). CASE SUMMARY: A 48-year-old man presented with complaints of decreased visual acuity in his left eye. His corrected visual acuity was 20/16 in the right eye and 20/63 in the left eye. The fundus photographs revealed a bilateral, superotemporal and inferotemporal retinal nerve fiber layer defect, corresponding to his visual field defect. The patient was diagnosed with bilateral NTG. After 2 months, the patient's corrected visual acuity in the left eye worsened to counting fingers and a central visual field defect was noticed in the Humphrey visual field test in the left eye. At 4 months after the initial visit, his corrected visual acuity in the right eye became 20/100, and the Goldmann visual field test demonstrated cecocentral scotoma. The fundus photographs showed a papillomacular bundle defect in his left eye. At 7 months after the initial visit, his visual acuity was hand movement in the right eye and a finger count in the left eye. A series of LHON gene mutation tests revealed a 11778 mitochondrial gene mutation, and the patient was diagnosed with LHON. CONCLUSIONS: Proper diagnosis of LHON might be disturbed by atypical manifestation of other optic nerve diseases, such as glaucoma. Therefore, suspecting LHON and checking for gene mutations as part of the work-up in patients with bilateral optic neuropathy is critical.