A Case of Nutcracker Esophagus Associated with Gastroesophageal Reflux: Normalization of Manometry Finding after Omeprazole Therapy / 대한소화관운동학회지

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is thought to be caused by an incompetent lower esophageal sphincter, either because of a chronic hypotonia or an increased frequency of transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxation. Thus, it seems paradoxical under nutcracker esophagus to consider gastroesophageal reflux as a possible diagnosis, particularly in the patient presenting with chest pain. Current therapy in nutcracker esophagus is aimed at reducing the high amplitude peristaltic contractions characteristic of this disorder. Treatment directed at reducing contraction can decrease lower esophageal sphincter pressure and may exacerbate gastroesophageal reflux. It is not easy to treat a case of nutcracker esophagus associated with GERD. We report a 38-year-old male with nutcracker esophagus associated with GERD who lost the diagnostic features of nutcracker esophagus after 6 week of antireflux therapy.

A Case of MALToma Involving Stomach and Small Intestine / 대한소화기내시경학회지

A 74-year old male was admitted to St. Mary's Hospital due to symptoms of diarrhea and fever. He was diagnosed with MALToma in the jejunum 6 months previously, but had refused any treatment. This time, an endoscopy revealed multiple erosions and nodular mucosa in the body, fundus of the stomach and 3rd portion of duodenum. Abdominal computed tomography showed wall thickening in 3rd portion of the duodenum and upper jejunum with multiple lymph nodes enlargement. Additionally, an endoscopic biopsy revealed MALToma in the stomach and duodenum. Salmonella group B grew in a blood culture and a chest PA determined pneumonic infiltration in the left lower lobe. He received sulperazone for 7 days, but again refused any further treatment and was thereby discharged after had improved condition.

A Case of Boerhaave Syndrome with Empyema in both Lungs in Alcoholic Liver Cirrhosis / 대한소화기내시경학회지

Spontaneous esophageal perforation (Boerhaave Syndrome) is an unusual condition that frequently leads to fatal complications. It typically occurs with rigorous emesis after an unduly large meal or heavy drinking. Its diagnosis is often delayed in almost all cases due to nonspecific symptoms and signs, resulting in increased morbidity and mortality. Therefore early diagnosis and appropriate treatment are very important. Recently we experienced a case of esophagogastric junctional perforation accompanied by bilateral empyema and mediastinitis after heavy alcohol drinking in a 56-year-old male patient. He was presented with hematemesis and abdominal pain. We diagnosed him using esophagography and chest CT. Thus, we report a case with a brief review of related literatures.

Esophagus, Stomach & Intestine; A Case of Adenomyoma of Duodenum / 대한소화기내시경학회지

Adenomyoma of the gastrointestinal tract has been considered to be a form of pancreatic heterotopia. Heterotopic pancreatic tissue in the gastrointestinal tract is a relatively not uncommon abnormality, but adenomyoma is a rarely reported tumor and its ineidence is difficult to determine. Adenomyoma is similar to aberrant pancreas in both appearance and location, and cannot be differentiated endoscopically or radiographically. Histologically, adenomyoma is primarily composed of smooth muscle and undifferentiated duct like structures. It is usually of no clinical importance and incidentally detected, but according to its location and size of the mass, it may become a serious clinical problem. Its real importance lies in the recognition of its existence, to facilitate a timely diagnosis, We present a case of adenomyoma of the duodenum with a brief literature review.

Study of Long Term Follow-up of Interferon Therapy in Chronic Viral Hepatitis: in 222 cases during 127 weeks / 대한간학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of interferon in chrcnic viral hepatitis, interferon was administered to 222 patients with biopsy proven chronic viral hepatitis. METHODS: 32 patients were excluded and the 190 patients was included, 149 men and 41 women. Average age was 34.4+-8.93 (14-67) years. 161 cases had HBsAg and HBeAg, and 29 cases had anti-HCV Ab. Three millicn units of interferon beta were given to 37 patients with chronic B hepatitis, daily for one month Six million units of interferon alpha were given to 124 patients with chronic B hepatitis and 29 patients with chr onic C hepatitis, three times a week for six months. RESULTS: 1) Out of 124 patients with clronic hepatitis B treated with a-interferon, HBeAg negativity for more tban six months was observed in 25 patients (20.2%), and defined as responder group. The 23 patients (18.5%) were defined as probable responder, because of persistent seroregativity of HBeAg for the last 6 months, despite of fluctuation of sercangativity during the follow-up. The 29 patients (23.4%) were defined as probable non-responder because of recurrence of HBeAg, which once was cleared but reappeared during last 6 months. But there was no seroconversion in 47 cases (37.9%). The overall response rate was 38.7%. 2) Out of 37 patients with chronic hepatitis B treated with B-interferon, 7 patients (18.9%) were responder, 6 patients (16.2%) probable responder, 12 patients (32.4%) probable non-responder, 12 patients (32.4%) non-responder. The overall response rate was 35.1%. 3) Out of 29 patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with a-interferon, normalization of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level for mcrre than six months was observed in 9 patients (31.0%), and defined as responder group. The 3 patients (10.3%) were defined as probable responder, because ALT levels fluctuated but wes normalized during the last 6 months. The 5 patients (17.2%) were defined as pobable ncn-mponder, because of persistent fluctuation of ALT levels during the last 6manths, which once were normalized but reelevated. In 12 patients (41.4%), there had never been a normalization of ALT level. The overall resporate was 41.1%. 4) The period of HBeAg seropositivity was 1.33 times longer than the period of seronegativity. The faster the seroconvmion, the more the tendency to be a respander for the patients with chronic hepatitis B. CONCLUSION: Interferon therapy may be effective in some cleonic viral hepatitis.

Relationship between Intrahepatic Expression of Hepatitis Be Antigen and Histology in Patients with Hepatitis B Virus Infection / 대한내과학회지

BACKGROUND: It has been known that the sero- logic markers of infectivity and viral replication in patients with hepatitis B virus(HBV) infection are hepatitis B e antigen(HBeAg), HRV DNA and HBV DNA polymerase. METHODS: In order to clarify the relationship between chronic liver diseases and HBV infection, and the mechanism of chronicity in HBV related liver diseases, the expression patterns of hepatic HBeAg by imrnunohistochemical stain and histologic activity index(HAI) were studied from 10% formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissues in 114 patients performed liver biopsy. RESULTS: The results were as follows: 1) Incidence of serum HReAg positivity in HBsAg positive patients was 74.6% and that of hepatic HBeAg expression was 77.6% among serum HBeAg positive cases. Hepatic HBeAg expression was 72.4% in serum HBeAg negative cases. 2) In serum HBeAg positive cases, almost all infected hepatocytes exhibited cytoplasmic HBeAg expression and half of patients showed nuclear HBeAg expression, but cytoplasmic HBeAg expression was solely predominant in serum HBeAg negative cases. Hepatic HBeAg expression showed a decreasing trend from AVH and CPH, through CAH, to cirrhosis with or without HCC, which was a consistent finding with serum HBeAg in decreasing manner. Hepatic HBeAg expreassion was highly sustained in about 60-90% of cases, regardless of duration of their illnesses. 3) HAI showed slighf3y higher tendency in patients with hepatic HBeAg negative expression than in positive cases. CONCLUSION: The above results suggest that HBeAg may play a role as a viral target antigen for immune-mediated liver injury and may be also related to the pathogenetic mechanism of chronicity in chronic hepatitis B.

A Case of Thyroid Hemiagenesis with Papillary Adenocarcinoma / 대한내분비학회지

Variation in the gross anatomy of the thyroid is relatively common. Although thyroid hemiagenesis is considered to be a rare congenital anomaly, its incidence is probably underestimated because the diagnosis is usually incidental.We present the case of a 26-year-old woman with right thyroid hemiagenesis associated with papillary adenocarcinoma. The diagnosis of hemiagenesis was established by isotope imaging, which showed hot nodule, thyroid ultrasonography and surgical exploration for proper management of a nodule in the left lobe of thyroid gland. As she was diagnosed to have papillary adenocarcinoma, total thyroidectomy was performed and at present she remains disease-free.