Pheochromocytoma Presenting with Multiple Cardiovascular Manifestations / 이화의대지

A 56-year-old man presented with sudden onset of congestive heart failure (New York Heart Association class III to IV) after mild stress and developed various cardiovascular manifestations. At first visit, cardiac enzyme elevation, regional left ventricular (LV) wall motion abnormality and pulmonary edema were evident. However, coronary angiography was normal. LV function was totally recovered at discharge, suspicious of fulminant myocarditis. During the hospital stay, acute non-obstructive stroke without neurologic sequelae occurred. After 3 years, he re-admitted because ventricular tachycardia and severe LV systolic dysfunction (ejection fraction, 15%) were developed. After 3 days of applying percutaneous cardiopulmonary bypass system, the patient was completely recovered. Suspicious of pheochromocytoma, we checked 24-hour urine catecholamines and metanephrines and abdomen computed tomography, which revealed pheochromocytoma. The patient underwent laparoscopic adrenalectomy.

Acute ST Elevated Myocardial Injury due to Coronary Thrombosis during Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair in Patient with Protein S Deficiency

A 71-year-old woman who had suffered from pulmonary thromboembolism with deep vein thrombosis for 12 years presented the hospital with a huge thoracic aortic aneurysm. During thoracic endovascular therapy, she had a sudden coronary artery occlusion without having organized stenosis or plaque rupture even under the dual antiplatelet treatment and heparinization. She turned out to be having a protein S deficiency. A procedure related thrombotic adverse event in patient with protein S deficiency is very rare, so we report a case with literature review.

Right Coronary Artery to Left Ventricular Fistula Associated with Infective Endocarditis of the Mitral Valve

A 27-year-old man with bacterial endocarditis of the mitral valve and embolic episodes was bound to have a large right coronary artery fistula communicating with the left ventricle, immediately inferior to the posterior mitral annulus. The perforation of the posterior leaflet and coronary arteriovenous fistula was identified using two-dimensional Doppler echocardiography. The diagnosis was confirmed by coronary angiography, and the patient underwent a successful operation.

Endoscopic Unroofing Therapy for Colonic Lymphangioma: A report of two cases / 대한소화기내시경학회지

A lymphangionma is a rare benign tumor occuring in the gastrointestinal tract, which is composed of lymphatic vessels of various size. A sharply demarcated smooth, soft, cystic submucosal tumor which is easily compressible and covered with normal mucosa is a characteristic ally an endoscopic feature. This lesion is considered to be a benign lesion, which does not need to be treated, but in cases that involve risk of any complications or symptoms, the lesion needs to be removed. Servral endoscopic treatment methods for a symptomatic lymphangioma have been introduced, but accompanying risk of complications, such as bleeding or perforation were reported. As complete removal of a lymphangioma is impossible due to its broad base, a newly developed unroofing method is presented to be effective and safe for resection of a large lymphan-gioma. Recently, 2 cases were experienced involving a lymphangioma in the large intestine, which was removed successfully by colonscopic unroofing therapy.

Efficacy of Needle-knife Infundibulotomy in Failed Cannulation on Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography / 대한소화기내시경학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Cannulation failure to biliary tract has been reported in 10% of patients who are performed diagnostic and therapeutic ERCP. Infundibulotomy by use of needle knife is cutting a bulbar part of protruding papilla, which has merit to avoid complete destruction of sphincter of Oddi and serious side effects than general precutting method. We want to know effectiveness and safety of infundibulotomy. METHODS: From January 1997 to December 1998, 36 patients who failed cannulation over three times trial by conventional method are included to this study. We compared the success rate of cannulation and procedure related complication according to bile duct dilatation, periampullary diverticulum and shape of ampulla of Vater. RESULTS: 1) Success rate of cannulation to bile duct is 81% (29/36). 2) All patients in group of bile duct dilatation (14) are succeed to cannulation, which is significantly high compare to other group (p=0.0288). 3) There was no statistical difference in success rate according to presence of periampullary diverticulum. 4) In groups of bulging prominent papilla are succeed in 23 among 26 patients, which is tendency of high in patients than other group (p=0.0760). 5) Total occurrence of procedure related complication was 33% (12/36). 6) The complication rate was not different in two groups according to cannulation success 7) The complication rate was tendency of high in patients without bile duct dilatation (p=0.0756). CONCLUSIONS: Infundibulotomy by use of needle knife is effeetive and safe cannulation method to patient who failed cannulation to bile duct. Success of cannulation is low and occurrence of complication is tendency of high in patient without bile duct dilation, which propose endoscopists attention in selection of indications.

The Significance of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) Symptoms in Patients with Reflux Esophagitis / 대한소화관운동학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The relationship between the symptoms and severity of GERD may be difficult to prove. The intensity and frequency of reflux induced symptoms are poor predictors of the presence or severity of an endoscopic mucosal break. The aim of this study was to determine which factors can be predicted by the presence of GERD symptoms among esophageal sensitivity to acid, abnormal acid reflux, and severity of esophagitis in pateints with reflux esophagitis. METHODS: Fourty-four patients who were diagnosed with reflux esophagitis by an endoscopy at a tertiary medical facility, were given a validated questionnaire, and underwent an acid perfusion test, 24 hr ambulatory esophageal pH monitoring, and esophageal manometry. These patients were divided into a symptomatic group and asymptomatic group according to the questionaire. Comparisons between the two groups for each factor were analyzed by Chi-square. RESULT: Of 44 patients, 26 had symptoms and 18 did not. The positive and equivocal rates of the acid perfusion test were not different between the symptomatic and asymptomatic groups (47% vs. 39%). The abnormal reflux rate (DeMeester score > 14.72) from pH monitoring was significantly higher in the symptomatic group than in the asymptomatic group (65% vs. 28%, p < 0.05). The severity of esophagitis, presence of a hiatal hernia, and abnormal esophageal manometric findings were not different between the two groups. CONCLUSION: It would be impossible to predict esophageal sensitivity to acid, severity of the esophagitis grade, and the presence of hiatal hernia with GERD symptoms, but it could be possible to predict abnormal gastroesophageal reflux.