A Case of Non-traumatic Hemobilia due to Warfarin Therapy / 대한소화기학회지

Hemobilia is a hemorrhage into the biliary tract that may follow surgical trauma, liver biopsy, aneurysms, extra- or intra-hepatic tumors of the biliary tract, gallstones, and inflammatory lesion of liver, especially helminthic or pyogenic. Sometimes, it is associated with primary liver cancer. An 84 year-old woman was admitted because of continuous right upper quadrant pain 4 days before admission. Physical examination revealed decreased skin turgor, icteric sclerae and severe tenderness on right upper quadrant abdomen. She had no hepatosplenomegaly, and no rebound tenderness. She has been taking warfarin for 3 weeks before admission because of atrial fibrillation. On admission, serum bilirubin and transaminase were elevated. The level of hemoglobin and hematocrit were 11.3 g/dL and 37.4%, respectively. HBsAg was negative, but IgG anti-HBc and anti-HBs were positive and anti-HCV was negative. Parasite skin test and stool ova count demonstrated non-specific findings. Stool occult blood was strongly positive, and prothrombin time was markedly prolonged. According to endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, common bile duct was dilated, and filled with blood clot but there was no stone in bile tree. After two weeks, serum transaminase, bilirubin, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and CA19-9 were normalized. We report a case of hemobilia, occurring in a patient with continuous warfarin use.

Esophageal Ulcer Induced by Alendronate / 대한소화기내시경학회지

Alendronate sodium (Fosamax(R)) is an aminophosphonate used in treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis by inhibition of osteoclastic activity. Esophageal ulcers related to alendronate use have been reported at the rate of 2~6%. However, there have been no reports of esophagitis or esophageal ulcer by alendronate in Korea. We present a case of esophageal ulcer caused by alendronate. The patient presented with retrosternal pain and severe odynophagia for a few days. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed multiple deep ulcers at the esophagus. Her symptoms resolved completely after stopping alendronate. A follow-up esophagogastroduodenoscopy 6 weeks later revealed complete healing of the ulcers.

A Gastric Foreign Body Incidentally Diagnosed by a Follow-up Abdominal Computed Tomography for Hepatoma / 대한소화기내시경학회지

Foreign bodies in the stomach usually are accidentally swallowed and rarely produce symptoms. For diagnosis, suspicion and report of related history with abdominal symptoms are important. Simple radiographs and endoscopy easily identify foreign objects. Abdominal computed tomography may be useful in some cases, although it is not essential. We experienced a case of a gastric foreign body incidentally diagnosed by a follow-up abdominal computed tomography (CT) for hepatoma. A 53-year-old male with B viral liver cirrhosis and hepatoma, visited our hospital for a routine follow-up check of hepatoma. He had a symptom of epigastric discomfort for two weeks. An abdominal CT showed a foreign body penetrating the stomach wall, and it was successfully removed endoscopically.

Crohn's Disease of the Upper Gastrointestinal Tract: Endoscopic and Histologic Characteristics and Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori Infection / 대한소화기내시경학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: It is well known that Crohn's disease (CD) can affect all gastrointestinal tract. However, there was no report that evaluated upper gastrointestinal CD in Korea. Therefore, we assessed the endoscopic and histological characteristics of gastrointestinal CD and the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in Korea. METHODS: We examined forty-six patients who were diagnosed as having CD in Kyung Hee University Hospital. We analyzed the endoscopic and histological characteristics by endoscopic examination with biopsy and the prevalence of H. pylori infection. We also investigated the immunohistochemical characteristics of the biopsy specimen and assessed the effects of medications on both histologic and bacteriologic status. RESULTS: High proportion (69.6%) of CD patients showed upper gastrointestinal mucosal alterations. Erosive endoscopic alteration was the most common finding with major involvement in the antrum and duodenum. In H. pylori negative CD patients, granuloma and focal gastritis were found in 30.6% and 44.4% of cases, respectively. There were no significant correlations between histologic features and clinical characeteristics of CD. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that histologic demonstration of focal gastritis and/or granuloma on endoscopic biopsy specimens in oligosymptomatic patients, especially in H. pylori negative patients, might be considered as patients with possible CD.

A Case of Iatrogenic Rectal Perforation Repaired by Endoscopic Clipping / 대한소화기내시경학회지

Although colonoscopy is commonly performed, it is an invasive procedure that might produce complications such as hemorrhage and perforation. Colonic perforation is an abdominal emergency with high mortality requiring surgical intervention. Sometimes non-surgical teatment can be applied when perforation is small sized, located in the retoperitoneal spaces or surgical approach is impossible. We are reporting a case of colon perforation in 64-year-old female patient. The patient visited our hospital with symptoms of dizziness and dyspnea. She was anemic and we planned to find the possible cause of anemia. Rectal perforation was developed during the diagnostic colonoscopy. However the operation was not applicable due to arrhythmia and cardiogenic shock. Therefore endoscopic clipping was done at the perforation site. Afterwards nasogastric decompression, intravenous antibiotics and total parenteral nutrition were applied. She was treated successfully without any complications.

Relationship between Esophageal Lesions Observed by Endoscopy and Nasogastric Intubation: A Study of 185 Cases of Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy / 대한소화기학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is a method widely used for long-term enteral nutrition in dysphagia. Mostly, it is preceded by nasogastric intubation (NI) for short-term enteral nutrition; endoscopic findings associated with NI are encountered during PEG. The purpose of this study was to discuss such findings and to delineate a relationship between these findings, especially esophageal lesions and the duration of NI. METHODS: This study involved 185 individuals who had undergone PEG at Kyung Hee Medical Center from January 1999 to May 2002. The medical records were examined retrospectively. RESULTS: The dysfunction of the CNS comprised 98.4% of the causes of dysphagia. The duration of NI was 15.2 weeks on average, with median value of 8.7 weeks, indicating that PEG was performed relatively soon. Endoscopic findings revealed esophagitis in 63 cases, esophageal ulcers in 27 and active bleedings in another 10. The incidence of esophageal lesions was shown to be higher in subjects with duration of NI under 12 weeks than in those with duration over 12 weeks (p=0.032). CONCLUSIONS: PEG was carried out in many cases during the early stages of dysphagia, and NI-associated esophageal lesions appeared to be more prevalent within 12 weeks of NI duration. These results may be of help in deciding the timing of PEG.

Early Diagnosis of Adenocarcinoma of the Ampulla of Vater during Treatment of Herpes Zoster / 대한소화기내시경학회지

Herpes zoster infection may herald the presence of a hidden malignancy. We encountered a case of a carcinoma of the ampulla of Vater in a 72-year-old female in which the ampullary lesion was found during a work-up for excluding certain causes of Herpes zoster infection. An esophagogastroduodenoscopy showed a polypoid mass at the ampulla of Vater. A pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy was performed and the pathology of the resected specimen confirmed well differentiated adenocarcinoma in the background of villous adenoma. The stage of the tumor was T2N0M0. This case illustrates that it may be necessary to do some diagnostic work-ups in patients with Herpes zoster infection to exclude underlying diseases. However, the extent of the work-ups should be determined in the future based on the cost-effectiveness data.

Early Diagnosis of Adenocarcinoma of the Ampulla of Vater during Treatment of Herpes Zoster / 대한소화기내시경학회지

Herpes zoster infection may herald the presence of a hidden malignancy. We encountered a case of a carcinoma of the ampulla of Vater in a 72-year-old female in which the ampullary lesion was found during a work-up for excluding certain causes of Herpes zoster infection. An esophagogastroduodenoscopy showed a polypoid mass at the ampulla of Vater. A pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy was performed and the pathology of the resected specimen confirmed well differentiated adenocarcinoma in the background of villous adenoma. The stage of the tumor was T2N0M0. This case illustrates that it may be necessary to do some diagnostic work-ups in patients with Herpes zoster infection to exclude underlying diseases. However, the extent of the work-ups should be determined in the future based on the cost-effectiveness data.

A Case of an Atypical Carcinoid Tumor Arising in Ulcerative Colitis / 대한소화기내시경학회지

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease manifested by diffuse continuous mucosal and submucosal inflammation. Adenocarcinoma of the colon may be complicated in the long-standing, extensive ulcerative colitis. But the case of an atypical carcinoid tumor arising in the chronic ulcerative colitis has been very rarely reported. A case was experienced involving a 54-year-old woman with chronic ulcerative pancolitis that was complicated by an atypical carcinoid tumor of the sigmoid colon. A small, flat, elevated lesion was found at the sigmoid colon, 8 years after the initial diagnosis of ulcerative colitis had been made. The microscopic finding of the lesion showed the nest of moderately differentiated, medium sized cells with large nuclei. The immunohistochemical stains for cytokeratin, NSE, chromogranin A, and synaptophysin were positive.The patient was treated with a total colectomy accompanied with an ileostomy, and is now in a very favor able state of recovery.