Retreatment of Chronic Hepatitis C Failed to Daclatasvir Plus Asunaprevir by Other Direct-acting Antivirals / 대한소화기학회지

The pegylated interferon plus ribavirin combination therapy has been used as the primary treatment for chronic hepatitis C (CHC) but fails to produce a sustained viral response (SVR) in many patients. In recent years, the treatment of CHC has been rapidly changing because of the introduction of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), which have a high cure rate. However, retreatment of patients after failure of the first DAA therapy is difficult. We report two rare cases of CHC that showed acquired SVR with other DAA combinations after failure to daclatasvir and asunaprevir.

Successful Medical Treatment for Peritonitis Resulting from a Large Pyogenic Liver Abscess Rupture / 대한소화기학회지

The rupture of a pyogenic liver abscess (PLA) with peritonitis is a rare occurrence but a surgical emergency with a high mortality rate in the case of gas-forming PLA. Rare cases of ruptured PLA that recovered completely with only medical treatment have been reported.This paper reports a case of a large PLA rupture with peritonitis. In this case, surgical intervention was too risky because of the patient’s age and poor general condition. The patient recovered fully with appropriate antibiotic therapy and sufficient percutaneous drainage. Therefore, medical treatment may be considered an alternative option in cases of a ruptured large PLA with peritonitis if surgical intervention is too risky.

Successful Medical Treatment for Peritonitis Resulting from a Large Pyogenic Liver Abscess Rupture / 대한소화기학회지

The rupture of a pyogenic liver abscess (PLA) with peritonitis is a rare occurrence but a surgical emergency with a high mortality rate in the case of gas-forming PLA. Rare cases of ruptured PLA that recovered completely with only medical treatment have been reported.This paper reports a case of a large PLA rupture with peritonitis. In this case, surgical intervention was too risky because of the patient’s age and poor general condition. The patient recovered fully with appropriate antibiotic therapy and sufficient percutaneous drainage. Therefore, medical treatment may be considered an alternative option in cases of a ruptured large PLA with peritonitis if surgical intervention is too risky.

Rare Clinical and Radiologic Case of Cholangiocarcinoma Mimicking Pyogenic Abscess, Hepatic Echinococcal Cysts, and Metastases

Cholangiocarcinoma is a biliary carcinoma with a wide spectrum of imaging, histological, and clinical features. In immunocompromised patients, pyogenic abscesses are relatively common and an echinococcal hepatic cysts are very rare. The authors experienced a very rare case of cholangiocarcinoma showing multiple hypodense masses with wall enhancement mimicking pyogenic liver abscess, echinococcal hepatic cyst, and cystic metastases. An 83-year-old man, complaining of fatigue and poor oral intake, presented to our outpatient clinic. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) revealed multiple, variable-sized hypodense masses with peripheral rim enhancement throughout the liver. Dynamic liver magnetic resonance images also showed findings similar to those of a CT scan. We performed ultrasound-guided biopsy of the mass which revealed cholangiocarcinoma.

Visceral Artery Pseudoaneurysm Rupture after Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography / 대한소화기학회지

A visceral artery pseudoaneurysm after ERCP is a rare adverse event that is potentially life-threatening. Most cases reported previously originated from the peripancreatic arteries, including the splenic artery, gastroduodenal artery, or pancreaticoduodenal artery. The mechanism of the occurrence of visceral artery pseudoaneurysms after ERCP has not been elucidated until now. Recently, a pseudoaneurysm rupture originating from the superior mesenteric artery after ERCP was observed in a patient without a history of pancreatitis. This paper reports this case with a review of the relevant literature.

Synchronous Primary Leiomyosarcoma in the Thoracic Vertebra and the Liver / 대한소화기학회지

This is a case report of simultaneous primary leiomyosarcomas in the spine and liver. A 64-year-old woman presented to the Seoul Paik Hospital with epigastric discomfort and constipation that she had experienced for two months. A physical examination revealed severe tenderness around the thoraco-lumbar junction. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy showed an ulceroinfiltrative lesion on the gastric angle. An abdominopelvic CT scan revealed two low attenuated lesions in the S4 and S8 regions of the liver, as well as a soft tissue mass at the T10 vertebra. Percutaneous ultrasonography-guided needle biopsy of the hepatic nodules revealed a leiomyosarcoma. The tumor at the T10 vertebra was removed to avoid spinal cord compression. The histology of this tumor was compatible with that of leiomyosarcoma. The potential primary sites for leiomyosarcoma, including the lung, thyroid, breast, kidney, genitourinary organs, and gastrointestinal tract, were subsequently investigated. No detectable abnormal findings that would suggest the origin of the tumor were found. Synchronous primary leiomyosarcomas in the spine and liver are quite rare and have a poor prognosis.

Synchronous Primary Leiomyosarcoma in the Thoracic Vertebra and the Liver / 대한소화기학회지

This is a case report of simultaneous primary leiomyosarcomas in the spine and liver. A 64-year-old woman presented to the Seoul Paik Hospital with epigastric discomfort and constipation that she had experienced for two months. A physical examination revealed severe tenderness around the thoraco-lumbar junction. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy showed an ulceroinfiltrative lesion on the gastric angle. An abdominopelvic CT scan revealed two low attenuated lesions in the S4 and S8 regions of the liver, as well as a soft tissue mass at the T10 vertebra. Percutaneous ultrasonography-guided needle biopsy of the hepatic nodules revealed a leiomyosarcoma. The tumor at the T10 vertebra was removed to avoid spinal cord compression. The histology of this tumor was compatible with that of leiomyosarcoma. The potential primary sites for leiomyosarcoma, including the lung, thyroid, breast, kidney, genitourinary organs, and gastrointestinal tract, were subsequently investigated. No detectable abnormal findings that would suggest the origin of the tumor were found. Synchronous primary leiomyosarcomas in the spine and liver are quite rare and have a poor prognosis.

Severe Intraperitoneal Hemorrhage from Pseudoaneurysm after a Large-volume Paracentesis, Successfully Treated with Microcoil Embolization / 대한소화기학회지

Large-volume paracentesis-induced intraperitoneal hemorrhage due to pseudoaneurysm formation is rarely reported. Here, we present a 56-year-old man with alcoholic liver cirrhosis admitted for massive ascites. Large-volume paracentesis was performed. Three days later, he became pale and complained of dyspnea and abdominal distention with hypotension. Percutaneous iliac angiography revealed contrast media leakage from a branch of the left circumflex iliac artery with pseudoaneurysm. He was successfully treated with microcoil embolization. Several days later, ascitic fluid increased and large-volume paracentesis was performed again. Two days later, his hemoglobin level suddenly decreased. An abdominal computed tomography scan showed new active bleeding at the left lower lateral peritoneal cavity, just anterior to the metalic coils. Percutaneous iliac angiography revealed contrast media extravasation from a branch of the left inferior epigastric artery with formation of collateral vessel. Percutaneous embolization was successfully performed again. After coil embolization, there were no further bleeding episodes.

Ruptured Gas-forming Pyogenic Liver Abscess into the Peritoneal Cavity Treated Successfully with Medical Treatment / 대한소화기학회지

Gas-forming pyogenic liver abscess (GFPLA) is very rare and has a very high mortality in case of rupture into the abdominal cavity, which usually require surgical treatment. We experienced a case of a ruptured GFPLA due to Klebsiella pneumoniae complicated with peritonitis and sepsis in a 68-year-old diabetic woman. Immediate and aggressive medical treatments including intravenous antibiotics, percutaneous drainage, and continuous renal replacement therapy dramatically improved the liver abscess, peritonitis, and metabolic problems. We report an unusual case of a ruptured GFPLA without surgical management, treated successfully with only medical treatment.

Angiomyolipoma of the Liver without a Fat Component, Mimicking a Hepatocellular Carcinoma / 대한소화기학회지

Angiomyolipoma (AML) is a rare benign mesenchymal tumor in the liver, which is composed of blood vessels, smooth muscle, and adipose cells. The proportion of each component varies, making a diagnosis difficult. This paper reports a case of AML in the liver without adipose tissue, mimicking a hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which was diagnosed by a surgical tissue biopsy. A 65-year-old woman was admitted for an evaluation of a hepatic mass that had been detected by ultrasonography. The serologic markers of viral hepatitis B and C were negative. The liver function tests and alpha fetoprotein level were within the normal limits. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a 1.9 cm sized mass in segment 6 of the liver with early arterial enhancement and washout on the delayed phase accompanied by a rim-like enhancement, which is similar to the imaging findings of HCC. A frozen section examination during surgery indicated a hepatocellular neoplasm and suggested the possibility of HCC. On the other hand, the final pathologic diagnosis was epithelioid myoid type of AML with no adipose tissue component. The tumor cells were positive for human melanocyte B-45 and negative for cytokeratin and hepatocyte paraffin 1. This paper reports a very rare case of AML without adipose tissue in the liver mimicking HCC that was diagnosed by a surgical tissue biopsy.

Sorafenib Treatment in Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Tumor Thrombus Nearly Occupying the Entire Right Atrium

Advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with tumor thrombus extending through the hepatic veins, inferior vena cava, and right atrium (RA) is very rare. However, whether active treatments such as radiation, transcatheter arterial chemoembolization, and sorafenib in advanced HCC with RA involvement prolong survival is uncertain. We present a rare case of advanced HCC with tumor thrombus nearly occupying the entire RA that was treated with sorafenib. The patient received 400 mg sorafenib twice daily. However, her liver enzyme levels continued to increase and abdominal computed tomography showed an increase in the tumor size in the liver and RA. In the present case, active treatment with sorafenib was ineffective; thus, palliative care may be more beneficial in advanced HCC with extensive RA involvement.

A Case of Hypertensive Crisis without a Surge in Adrenal Hormones after Radiofrequency Ablation as a Treatment for Primary Hepatocellular Carcinoma / 대한소화기학회지

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a minimally invasive procedure that has been considered as a relatively safe treatment for patients with small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, RFA has been shown to be associated with complications including mechanical and thermal damage. A 74-year-old man with hepatitis C virus-associated HCC was admitted to our hospital. Abdominal computed tomography revealed two lobulated-HCC in segments 4 and 5. He had no medical history of hypertension and cardiac disease. During RFA, blood pressure was elevated to 200/140 mmHg. There was no evidence of pulmonary embolism, aortic dissection, or ischemic heart disease. Laboratory findings for catecholamine surge were all within normal limits. After continuous intravenous nitroglycerin and oral beta-blocker treatment, patient's blood pressure gradually decreased and back within the normal range. Hypertensive crisis after RFA treatment for HCC is rare. Most reported cases of hypertensive crisis during RFA were related to adrenal gland injury with a release of catecholamine. In our case, the site of HCC was not close to the adrenal gland, and there was no evidence of catecholamine surge. Herein, we report a very rare case of hypertensive crisis without a surge in adrenal hormones after RFA treatment for HCC.

A Case of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Presenting as a Gingival Mass / 대한소화기학회지

Oral metastatic tumor, which is uncommon and represents less than 1% of malignant oral neoplasms, usually arises from a primary mucosal or cutaneous cancer located in the head and neck regions. Metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) to the oral cavity, especially to gingiva, is extremely rare. A 50-year-old man, who was a chronic alcoholic and hepatitis B virus carrier, presented with abdominal distension and weight loss for the past 3 months. Three-phased contrast-enhanced abdominal CT revealed numerous conglomerated masses in the liver, suggesting huge HCCs arising in the background of liver cirrhosis with a large amount of ascites. He complained of recurrent profuse bleeding from the left upper gingival mass. A facial CT revealed an oral cavity mass destructing the left maxillary alveolar process and hard palate, which was diagnosed as metastatic HCC by an incisional biopsy. Herein, we report a case of metastatic HCC to the gingiva.

Secondary adrenal insufficiency caused by sorafenib administration in a patient with hepatocellular carcinoma / 영남의대학술지

Sorafenib (Nexavar) has been regarded as a treatment for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), with side effects that include hand-foot skin reaction, diarrhea, rash, fatigue, hypertension, nausea, anorexia, weight loss, and alopecia. Thyroid disorder, such as endocrine side effect, has also been reported. However no case involving adrenal insufficiency has been reported. Here, we report a case of adrenal insufficiency which occurred after taking sorafenib in a patient with HCC. A 56-year-old man visited our hospital due to right upper quadrant abdominal pain and he was diagnosed as multiple disseminated and unresectable HCCs with portal vein invasion; therefore transarterial chemoembolization was performed and sorafenib administration was started. Two months later, he was admitted to the hospital complaining of severe fatigue. The laboratory results showed cortisol of <0.2µ g/dL and adrenocorticotropic hormone of <1.00 pg/mL. The patient had no history of taking steroids or herbal medications. Secondary adrenal insufficiency was diagnosed and prednisolone 10 mg per day was started immediately; as a result, fatigue remarkably improved. This may be the first report indicating a possible association between sorafenib and adrenal insufficiency and it implies that the possibility of adrenal insufficiency should be considered in patients taking sorafenib who complain of severe fatigue.

Hemangioma Diagnosed by Gadoxetate Disodium-Enhanced MRI in a Patient with Chronic Hepatitis C

A hemangioma is the most common benign hepatic tumor. Many hepatic hemangioma tend to be found incidentally, but should be differentiated from malignant tumors, especially in patients with a high risk for malignancy. We presented a 52-year-old woman who diagnosed as hepatic hemangioma. The patient was a chronic alcohol abuser and diagnosed as a hepatic C virus carrier for the first time. Contrast enhanced abdominal computed tomography (CT) revealed a 4cm sized hepatic mass involving both segment 5 and 6. Abdominal CT finding suggested hepatic hemangioma, but could not rule out the malignancy. Because the patient had risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma, abdominal ultrasonography (US) was performed for further evaluation. But abdominal US also showed atypical finding. For the confirmative diagnosis, dynamic magnetic resonance imaging using gadoxetate disodium (primovist(R), Bayer HealthCare, Berlin, Germany) which is the innovative liver cell-specific contrast medium was done, and the patient was diagnosed as hepatic hemangioma.

A Case of Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis Following Argon Plasma Coagulation for Angiodysplasias in the Colon / 대한소화기학회지

Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is the most common infection in liver cirrhosis patients, and is not a result of surgery or intra abdominal infection. Argon plasma coagulation (APC) is an endoscopic procedure used with a high-frequency electrical current for control of bleeding from gastrointestinal vascular ectasias including angiodysplasia and gastric antral vascular ectasia. This procedure is known to be safe because it uses a noncontact method. Therefore, tissue injury is minimal and up to two to three millimeters. However, we experienced a case of SBP occurring immediately after performance of APC for control of severe bleeding from angiodysplasia in the colon in a patient with liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.

A Case of Duodenal Diverticulum Mimicking a Peripancreatic Abscess / 대한내과학회지

The duodenum is the second most common site, after the colon, of diverticuli in the alimentary tract. Although most patients with duodenal diverticuli are asymptomatic, previous studies have demonstrated a possible association between duodenal diverticuli and choledocholithiasis and pancreatitis. In addition, duodenal diverticuli mimicking periampullary tumors and cystic neoplasms of the pancreas have been reported. We report a case of a duodenal diverticulum that mimicked a peripancreatic abscess. A 65-year-old woman was admitted for epigastric pain and vomiting. Abdominal CT confirmed the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis. Follow-up abdominal CT performed for a sustained fever revealed several newly developed peripancreatic abscesses. Most of the abscesses were drained percutaneously, but those around the uncinate process seldom respond to treatment. This patient was confirmed to have a duodenal diverticulum by endoscopy and duodenography. Duodenal diverticuli must be considered in a differential diagnosis of peripancreatic abscesses.

Metastatic Common Bile Duct Cancer from Pulmonary Adenocarcinoma Presenting as Obstructive Jaundice / 대한소화기학회지

We report an extremely rare case of metastatic common bile duct cancer from pulmonary adenocarcinoma presenting as obstructive jaundice. The patient was a 76-year-old male, who presented with generalized weakness and right upper quadrant pain. Plain chest X-ray noted multiple small nodules in both lung fields. Abdominal computed tomography scan showed a stricture of the mid common bile duct along with ductal wall enhancement. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiography revealed a concentric, abrupt narrowing of the mid-common bile duct suggestive of primary bile duct cancer. However, pathology comfirmed metastatic common bile duct cancer arising from pulmonary adenocarcinoma with immunohistochemical study with thyroid transcriptional factor-1 (TTF-1).

Predictive factors that influence the survival rates in liver cirrhosis patients with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) has been known to greatly influence the survival rate of patients with liver cirrhosis. However, the factors that affect the survival rate in patients with SBP need to be clarified. METHODS: This study enrolled 95 liver cirrhosis patients diagnosed with SBP. The laboratory findings of their serum and ascitic fluid were examined and the characteristics of the isolated microorganisms in their peritoneal fluid were analyzed. RESULTS: The proportion of patients with culture-positive SBP was 41.1%, and 47 microorganisms were isolated from the ascitic fluid. The proportions of cultured bacteria that were Gram negative and Gram positive were 57.4% and 40.4%, respectively. The proportions of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella species, and Streptococcus species were 25.5%, 19.1%, and 19.1%, respectively. Enterococcus species represented 12.8% of the microorganisms cultured. The overall survival rates at 6, 12, and 24 months were 44.5%, 37.4%, and 32.2%, respectively. There was no relationship between the bacterial factors and the survival rate in SBP. Multivariate analysis revealed that the presence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC; P=0.001), higher serum bilirubin levels (> or =3 mg/dL, P=0.002), a prolonged serum prothrombin time (i.e., international normalized ratio >2.3, P1.3 mg/dL, P<0.001), and lower glucose levels in the ascitic fluid (<50 mg/dL, P<0.001) were independent predictive factors of overall survival rate. CONCLUSIONS: HCC, higher serum bilirubin levels, a prolonged serum prothrombin time, renal dysfunction, and lower ascitic glucose levels are associated with higher mortality rates in cirrhotic patients with SBP.

A Case of Conservatively Resolved Intramural Esophageal Dissection Combined with Pneumomediastinum / 대한소화기학회지

Intramural esophageal dissection (IED) is a rare form of esophageal injury. We report a rare case of spontaneous IED complicated with pneumomediastinum and successfully improved by conservative management. A 46-year-old man presented to the emergency department with chest pain and hematemesis. The endoscopic diagnosis was suspicious of IED. Chest CT scan performed to rule out complication noted IED combined with pneumomediastinum. He was managed conservatively with nil per oral, intravenous antibiotics and parenteral nutrition. Follow up study after 2 weeks later showed near complete resolution of IED. IED should be included in the differential diagnosis for unexplained acute chest pain, especially, associated with dysphagia and hematemesis. IED with pneumomediastinum or mediastinitis require prompt surgery. So far, there is no case report of IED combined with pneumomediastinum which resolved without surgical treatment. In this case, IED combined with pneumomediastinum has improved by conservative management, so we present a case report.