A Case of Early Bile Duct Carcinoma in Which Cholangioscopy and MR Cholangiography Were Useful in the Diagnosis / 대한소화기내시경학회지

Most patients with bile duct carcinoma are diagnosed at an advanced stage, commonly after the appearance of jaundice. The prognosis is generally poor when the diagnosis is made at this stage. Early diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma at a nonicteric stage may more likely allow curative resection. Initial workup of suspected biliary tract obstruction begins with noninvasive radiologic examinations including US and CT, but these and with even ERCP have a limitation in the diagnosis of early bile duct carcinoma. A case of intrahepatic early bile duct carcinoma without jaundice in a 53-year-old man, is herein reported. The lesion could be early diagnosed, especially with the use of MR cholagiography and percutaneous transhepatic cholangioscopic examination, and eventually could be completely resected.

A Selective Cannulation into the Common Bile Duct by a Guidewire Insertion through the Pancreatic Duct / 대한소화기내시경학회지

When the common bile duct (CBD) cannulation is attempted for the visualization and therapeutic intervention of biliary tree, difficulties can arise in the selective bile duct cannulation due to the deviation of the duodenal ampulla, a mobile ampulla or an acute angle between the CBD and the papillary orifice. During an attempt at a deep biliary cannulation for the endoscopic therapy, pancreatic sliding often occurs, which means a catheter or a sphincterotome inadvertently enter the pancreatic duct instead of the CBD. From our experience, we have learned that an acute angle between the CBD axis and ampullary orifice could cause pancreatic sliding. We could succeed in the deep cannulation of sphincterotome into the CBD after fixing the ampulla and blunting the acute angle of the CBD with a guidewire inserted into the pancreatic duct. No complications had occurred. This method may be a simple and useful tool in cases of recurrent pancreatic sliding and can avoid the post-ERCP pancreatitis subsequent to repeated cannulation of the pancreatic duct.

Icteric Type Hepatocelluar Carcinoma for Which Cholangioscopic Ethanol Injection Was Effective / 대한소화기내시경학회지

Hepatocellular carcinoma often invades the portal or hepatic veins, but rarely proliferates in the bile duct. Since curative resection is rarely possible in these cases, conservative therapy has been the sole modality. Herein, we report a case of icteric type hepatocellular carcinoma for which cholangioscopic ethanol injection was effective. By only transcatheter arterial chemoembolization in this patient, obstructive jaundice and intermittent cholangitis were not relieved. Therefore, we performed ethanol injection into the intraductal hepatoma mass under percutaneous transhepatic cholangioscopic guidance. As a result of therapy, he had been well without jaundice and cholangitis for 9 months until die.

The Prevalence of Reflux Esophagitis of Korean Adults for 10 years of 1990's / 대한소화관운동학회지

BACKGROUNDS/AIMS: The prevalence of reflux esophagitis has been considered to be low in Korea, but recent studies suggested that it has been increasing. The prevalence also is generally thought to be less in Korea compared to that in western countries. METHODS: Data was collected from the leading medical journals published in Korea dealing with the prevalence of reflux esophagitis for last 10 years between 1990 and 1999 and annual reports of Health Promotion Center in Asan Medical Center of 1997 to 1999. RESULTS: The prevalence was occupied 1.3% in the early period of 1990's, 5.3% in the middle and 7.2% in the late period in symptomatic group and 2.7%, 3.2% and 5.8% in asymptomatic group. The prevalence was reported 5.4% in 1997, 5.3% in 1998 and 7.0% in 1999 in asymptomatic group of annual report of Health Promotion Center in Asan Medical Center. Associated conditions in reflux esophagitis were hiatal hernia, alcohol consumption, smoking and obesity suggesting as risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of reflux esophagitis in Korea has increased in last 10 years of 1990's but is still lower than that in the western countries. Continuous increase in the prevalence of reflux esophagitis in Korea is predictable and it leads to a greater concern for accurate diagnosis and rapid treatment of symptoms.

A Case of Ampullary Adenoma Resected by Endoscopic Mucosal Resection / 대한소화기내시경학회지

Villous adenomas of the ampulla of Vater are rare premalignant tumors that have been reported to occur in 0.04% to 0.12% of postmortem series. Traditionally surgical treatment has been used but it might result in significant morbidity and mortality. This case is a villous adenoma of ampulla of Vater found incidentally, but successfully removed by endoscopic method. After endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS), we resected the tumor of ampulla of Vater endoscopically using endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) method. The post-procedure course was uneventful. Here we report an ampullary adenoma resected by endoscopic method in a 42-year-old man with villous adenoma of the ampulla of Vater.

Primary Malignant Lymphoma of the Ampulla of Vater / 대한소화기내시경학회지

The vast majority of ampullary tumors are epithelial in nature and are either adenoma or adenocarcinoma. Rarely lymphoma or mucinous and squamous elements may be found. Primary lymphoma of pancreaticobiliary region are exceedingly rare, and mostly nodal. Recently, we have experienced a 29-year-old woman with primary malignant lymphoma of the ampulla of Vater with recurrent acute pancreatitis and jaundice. On duodenoscopy, bulging ampulla with normal overlying duodenal mucosa was observed. Endoscopic sphincterotomy was done and tumor inside the ampulla was exposed. ERCP showed high grade biliary and pancreatic ductal strictures extending from the papillary orifice, with upstream ductal dilatation, respectively. With endoscopic biopsy alone, the tumor was confirmed as B-cell lymphoma histologically.

The diagnostic course of ulcerative colitis in Korea / 대한내과학회지

BACKGROUND: In Korea, the incidence of ulcerative colitis has been very low, but there are few epidemiologic studies about ulcerative colitis. The aim of the present study is to obtain basic epidemiologic information about the diagnostic course of ulcerative colitis in Korea. METHODS: The diagnostic course and methods of 150 patients with ulcerative coltis were analyzed by standard questionnaire and interview. RESULTS: The median time between the onset of symptoms and diagnosis was 5 months (2 weeks-10 years). The initial diagnosis made at the institution first visited was ulcerative colitis in 31.3%, hemorrhoid in 16.7%, dysentery in 8.7%, irritable bowel syndrome in 9.3%, enteritis in 12.0%, and others in 22.0%. The diagnostic rate of ulcerative colitis among institutions was 13.0% in clinics (14/108), 28.6% in hospitals (8/28), 47.9% in general hospitals (23/48), and 83.3% in academic medical centers (105/126). Among 39 patients who have received both barium study and endoscopic evaluation at the time of diagnosis at Asan Medical Center, the overall sensitivity of barium study was 76.9% (30/39) (p=0.001). Depending on the extent of the disease, the diagnostic sensitivity of barium study was 50.0% in proctitis (5/10), 69.2% in left-sided colitis (9/13), and 100% in extensive colitis (16/16). CONCLUSION: For early detection of ulcerative colitis, it should always be considered in the differential diagnosis of rectal bleeding, and sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy is preferred to barium study for evaluation of patients with mild symptoms. We suggest that endoscopic procedures are necessary to get more accurate epidemiologic data.

A Novel Approach for Cannulation of the Ampulla within a Diverticulum: A Two-Catheter Method / 대한소화기내시경학회지

An ampulla within a diverticulum is not rare especially in elderly patients with duct stones, but may pose a problem in identifying the papilla and properly orienting this structure for cannulation during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. We therefore have used a new technique using the application of an additional catheter to keep the ampulla outside the diverticulum. When we pushed the duodenal fold downward and laterally with the first catheter, the ampulla was everted from the diverticulum and the hidden papilla was brought into view. Once the papilla was visible, the second catheter which was identical to the first, was advanced alongside it and inserted into the papillary orifice without difficulty. Eventually a successful cholangiogram was obtained. With the insertion of a guidewire through the second catheter, sphincterotomy and insertion of endoscopic nasobiliary drainage tube were also performed successfully.