Regression of esophageal varices and splenomegaly in two patients with hepatitis-C-related liver cirrhosis after interferon and ribavirin combination therapy

Some recent studies have found regression of liver cirrhosis after antiviral therapy in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related liver cirrhosis, but there have been no reports of complete regression of esophageal varices after interferon/peg-interferon and ribavirin combination therapy. We describe two cases of complete regression of esophageal varices and splenomegaly after interferon-alpha and ribavirin combination therapy in patients with HCV-related liver cirrhosis. Esophageal varices and splenomegaly regressed after 3 and 8 years of sustained virologic responses in cases 1 and 2, respectively. To our knowledge, this is the first study demonstrating that complications of liver cirrhosis, such as esophageal varices and splenomegaly, can regress after antiviral therapy in patients with HCV-related liver cirrhosis.

A Case of a Pharyngeal Impacted Fish Bone Foreign Body Detected by Finger Palpation / 대한소화기내시경학회지

Emergent endoscopy is needed in cases of a fish bone foreign body in the upper gastrointestinal tract. A fish bone foreign body is common in the oral cavity and pharynx and has a high rate of complications because of the characteristic shape. A diagnosis is very difficult when the foreign body penetrates and impacts the surrounding tissue. Computed tomography is useful for the diagnosis; however, direct removal would be impossible if the foreign body was not localized during endoscopy. If the foreign body is anchored to the oral cavity and pharynx, finger palpation is useful to find the impacted fish bone. We report here on a case of an endoscopically missed pharyngeal impacted fish bone foreign body that was finally detected by finger palpation and successfully removed by rescue endoscopy.