Clinicopathological features of colorectal polyps in 2002 and 2012

BACKGROUND/AIMS: There are few comparative studies on the historical changes in the clinicopathologic characteristics of colorectal polyps in Korea. This retrospective study compared the clinicopathologic characteristics of colorectal polyps treated at our institution in 2002 and 2012. METHODS: The medical records of 1,816 patients who underwent colonoscopy and were found to have colorectal polyps in 2002 (n = 597) or 2012 (n = 1,219) were reviewed retrospectively. Patient characteristics and polyp sizes, gross morphologies, locations, and pathologic results were analyzed and compared. RESULTS: Mean age was older in the 2002 group than in the 2012 group (67.3 ± 11.1 years vs. 55.4 ± 10.8 years, p < 0.001). The 1,816 study subjects had a total of 3,723 colorectal polyps, with a mean of 2.05 polyps per patient. Mean polyp size was larger in the 2002 group than in the 2012 group (0.6 ± 0.4 cm vs. 0.4 ± 0.3 cm, p < 0.001). The most common histology was tubular adenoma and they were more common in the right colon in both study groups. Although the distribution of total adenoma was not significantly different between groups, the location of advanced adenoma differed significantly and was more common in the right colon in the 2012 group (30.4% vs. 63.2%, p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: No significant change in total polyps and adenoma distribution was found between 2002 and 2012. However, advanced adenoma was more common in the right colon in 2012, which cautiously suggests a locational shift from the left to right colon. These findings indicate that right colon polyps require more attention.

Prospective analysis of factors associated with inadequate bowel preparation for colonoscopy in actual clinical practice

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Inadequate bowel preparation can result in prolonged procedure time and increased missed lesion and complication rates. This prospective study aimed to evaluate bowel preparation quality and identify the predictive factors for inadequate bowel preparation in actual clinical practice. METHODS: We included 399 patients who underwent colonoscopy between June 2015 and July 2016. Using the Aronchick bowel preparation scale, we defined a score ≤2 as adequate preparation and a score >2 as inadequate preparation. RESULTS: Mean patient age was 58.38±12.97 years; 60.6% were male. Indications for colonoscopy included screening (69.7%) and surveillance after polyp removal (21.3%). A split-dose regimen was prescribed to 55.4% of patients. The inadequate bowel preparation rate was 28.1%. Overall, the median time between the last bowel preparation agent dose and start of colonoscopy was 5.0 hours (range, 1.5–16.0 hours); that of the adequate group was 5.0 hours (range, 1.5–16.0 hours); and that of the inadequate group was 5 hours (range, 2–23 hours). The mean bowel preparation scale score of the ascending colon (1.94±0.25) was significantly higher than that of other colon segments. On multivariate analysis, elderly age, history of cerebrovascular disease, history of gastrectomy or appendectomy, and total preparation solution uptake < 2 L were the independent predictors of inadequate bowel preparation. CONCLUSIONS: The inadequate bowel preparation rate was 28.1%. Risk factors included elderly age and history of cerebrovascular disease or abdominal surgery. Patients with these risk factors require special care and education.

Dasatinib induces severe hemorrhagic colitis in a patient with accelerated phase of chronic myelogenous leukemia

No abstract available.

Endoscopic Resection of Sporadic Non-ampullary Duodenal Neoplasms: A Single Center Study / 대한소화기학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Sporadic non-ampullary duodenal neoplasms are rare and optimal treatment for these lesions remains undefined. Endoscopic resection of duodenal neoplasms is widely used recently and it is an alternative treatment strategy to surgical excision. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of endoscopic resection of duodenal neoplasms and to determine its outcomes. METHODS: Patients who underwent endoscopic resection for non-ampullary duodenal neoplasms between January 2005 and December 2014 were analyzed retrospectively. Data including size, morphology, histology, location and endoscopic procedural technique were reviewed. The main outcome measurements were success rate, complication, recurrence and follow-up assessments. RESULTS: The study included 33 patients with duodenal neoplasms. The mean size of resected lesion was 8.58 mm. The results of histologic examination were as follows: 23 (69.7%) adenomas, 2 (6.1%) adenocarcinoma, 3 (9.1%) Brunner's gland tumor and 3 (9.1%) neuroendocrine tumor. Tubular adenoma wase the most common type (63.6%) of non-ampullary duodenal neoplasms. Eighteen (54.5%) lesions were found in the second portion of the duodenum, and 10 (30.3%) lesions on bulb and 3 (9.1%) lesions on superior duodenal angle. Of the 33 cases, 32 (97.0%) were managed by endoscopic mucosal resection technique during a single session and one case was managed by endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). One episode of perforation occurred after ESD. During a median follow-up period of 5.76 months, recurrence was observed in only one case of in a patient with tubular adenoma. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic resection of duodenal neoplasm is a safe and effective treatment modality that can replace surgical resection in many cases. Careful endoscopic follow-up is essential to manage recurrence or residual lesions.

Severe hyponatremia and seizures after bowel preparation with low-volume polyethylene glycol plus ascorbic acid solution / 영남의대학술지

The widely used polyethylene glycol (PEG)-based solutions have been proven effective for bowel preparation when 4 L of the solution is administered before colonoscopy. However, large volumes of the solutions are generally poorly tolerated. A new PEG-based solution consisting of 2 L of PEG and a high dose of ascorbic acid has recently become available. Electrolyte abnormalities caused by PEG-based solutions have rarely been reported. We report on a case of acute severe hyponatremia with associated generalized tonic-clonic seizures after bowel preparation with a low-volume PEG plus ascorbic acid solution in a 74-year-old woman with no history of seizures. She took a beta blocker, an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, and glimepiride for hypertension and diabetes mellitus. She showed general weakness, nausea, agitation, muscle cramping, and seizures after ingestion of the PEG plus ascorbic acid solution. Her serum sodium level was 112 mEq/L. Her symptoms improved after intravenous administration of hypertonic saline. Physicians should pay attention to screening for electrolytes and development of neurological symptoms during bowel preparation.

Association of the Preoperative Neutrophil-to-ymphocyte Count Ratio and Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Count Ratio with Clinicopathological Characteristics in Patients with Papillary Thyroid Cancer

BACKGROUND: Several inflammatory biomarkers, especially a high preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte count ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte count ratio (PLR), are known to be indicator of poor prognosis in several cancers. However, very few studies have evaluated the significance of the NLR and PLR in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). We evaluated the association of the preoperative NLR and PLR with clinicopathological characteristics in patients with PTC. METHODS: This study included 1,066 female patients who underwent total thyroidectomy for PTC. Patients were stratified into 4 quartiles by preoperative NLR and PLR. And the combination of preoperative NLR and PLR was calculated on the basis of data obtained value of tertile as follows: patients with both an elevated PLR and an elevated NLR were allocated a score of 2, and patients showing one or neither were allocated a score of 1 or 0, respectively. RESULTS: The preoperative NLR and PLR were significantly lower in patients aged > or =45 years and in patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis. The PLR was significantly higher in patients with tumor size >1 cm (P=0.021).When the patients were categorized into the aforementioned four groups, the group with the higher preoperative PLR was found to have a significantly increased incidence of lateral lymph node metastasis (LNM) (P=0.018). However, there are no significant association between the combination of preoperative NLR and PLR and prognostic factors in PTC patients. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that a preoperative high PLR were significant associated with lateral LNM in female patients with PTC.

Endovascular Treatment of an Abdominal Aortic Pseudoaneurysm in a Patient with Behcet's Disease / 대한내과학회지

Behcet's disease shows systemic involvement, including mucocutaneus, ophthalmical, neurological, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, urogenital, mucoskeletal, and cardiovascular disorders. Aneurysmal changes develop in 65% of patients with arterial involvement and are associated with a poor prognosis. Although many attempts have been made to surgically manage these serious arterial lesions, several reports have shown a high recurrence rate and operation-related complications. Stent-graft placement has been indicated for the treatment of pseudoaneurysms and aneurysms in patients with a high surgical risk, including those with Behcet's disease. We herein describe an abdominal aortic pseudoaneurysm in a patient with Behcet's disease that was successfully treated with stent-graft insertion without an endoleak after 36 months of follow-up.

A Case of Primary Retroperitoneal Mucinous Cystadenoma Arising from the Retropancreatic Area / 대한소화기학회지

Primary retroperitoneal mucinous cystadenoma is an extremely uncommon tumor, even though mucinous cystadenoma often develops in the ovary and less frequently in the pancreas. A 21-year-old female was admitted to our hospital due to severe abdominal pain. A well-demarcated, oval shaped cystic tumor at the retropancreatic area with displacement of the pancreas and surrounding major vessels was observed on CT and MRI. Exploratory laparotomy was performed, and complete excision of the entire cyst was performed without complication. The pathologic finding was consistent with primary retropancreatic mucinous cystadenoma. To the best of our knowledge, this report is the first to describe a case of retropancreatic mucinous cystadenoma arising from the retropancreatic area in Korea.

A Case of Tjalma Syndrome Coincidentally Accompanied by an Ovarian Teratoma Successfully Treated with Intravenous Immunoglobulin-G Adjunctive Therapy

Tjalma or pseudo-pseudo Meigs' syndrome is a clinical condition that is characterized with ascites, pleural effusion, and increased serum CA-125 levels in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) without the presence of ovarian tumor. On the other hand, Meigs' and pseudo-Meigs' syndromes represent the same manifestations with ovarian tumor. In this case report, we present a 43-year-old SLE patient suffering from Tjalma syndrome with the coexistence of incidental ovarian teratoma, who was successfully treated with intravenous immunoglobulin-G adjunctive therapy after inadequate response to surgical excision of the ovarian tumor, steroid, and cyclophosphamide pulse therapy.

Co-Occurrence of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma and Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue Lymphoma in a Patient with Long-Standing Hashimoto Thyroiditis

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is a common affliction of the thyroid gland, accounting for 70% to 80% of all thyroid cancers, whereas mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma of the thyroid gland is uncommon. The simultaneous occurrence of both malignancies is extremely rare. We report the case of a patient with both PTC and MALT lymphoma in the setting of Hashimoto thyroiditis. An 81-year-old female patient was first admitted with goiter and hoarseness, which was attributed to an ultrasonographic thyroid nodule. Subsequent fine-needle aspirate, interpreted as suspicious of papillary thyroid cancer, prompted total thyroidectomy. MALT lymphoma was an incidental postsurgical finding, coexisting with PTC in the setting of Hashimoto thyroiditis. Although the development of MALT lymphoma is very rare, patients with longstanding Hashimoto thyroiditis should undergo careful surveillance for both malignancies.

Henoch-Schonlein Purpura in a Patient with Ankylosing Spondylitis after Infliximab Therapy / 대한내과학회지

Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) inhibitors are used widely to treat patients with active rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Although various cutaneous reactions can occur as side effects of TNF-alpha inhibitors, systemic vasculitis requiring withdrawal of the agent and immunosuppressive drugs is rare. A 59-year-old male with AS who had been treated with infliximab for 60 months visited us with complaints of palpable purpura on both legs and severe abdominal pain. Abdominal computed tomography showed diffuse wall thickening of the proximal jejunum and ileum and a skin biopsy revealed leukocytoclastic vasculitis. The patient was diagnosed with Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP). Infliximab was discontinued and systemic steroid therapy at 0.5 mg/kg resulted in prompt resolution of the HSP. Here, we report the first case of HSP in a patient with AS after infliximab treatment.