Small Bowel Obstruction Caused by Acute Invasive Enteric Anisakiasis / 대한소화기학회지

Anisakiasis usually occurs in the stomach and can easily be diagnosed by digestive tract endoscopy as opposed to enteric anisakiasis which is very rare and difficult to be diagnosed definitively. The most important and useful tool in diagnosing enteric anisakiasis is obtaining an accurate patient history of having eaten raw fish before the onset of symptoms. We report a case of small bowel obstruction caused by acute invasive enteric anisakiasis. A 60-year-old woman visited the emergency room suffering from sudden abdominal pain. She had eaten raw fish 1 day before the onset of symptom. Radiologic studies showed small bowel obstruction. However, no definitive cause could be found. An emergency laparotomy revealed edematous and dilated proximal jejunum and a focal stenosis of the distal jejunum. Segmental resection of the jejunum was performed, and histopathological examination revealed enteric anisakiasis. The patient was discharged on the 7th day after surgery following an uneventful course of recovery.

The Clinical Characteristics of Anisakis Allergy in Korea

Anisakidae larvae can cause anisakiasis when ingested by humans. Although several groups have reported a gastrointestinal Anisakis allergy among people in Spain and Japan, our report is the first to summarize the clinical features of 10 Anisakis allergy cases in Korea. We enrolled 10 Korean patients (6 men and 4 women) who complained of aggravated allergic symptoms after ingesting raw fish or seafood. Sensitization to Anisakis was confirmed by detecting serum specific IgE to Anisakis simplex. The most common manifestation of anisakiasis was urticaria (100%), followed by abdominal pain (30%) and anaphylaxis (30%). All patients presenting with these symptoms also exhibited high serum specific IgE (0.45 to 100 kU/L) to A. simplex. Nine patients (90%) exhibited atopy and increased total serum IgE levels. The fish species suspected of carrying the Anisakis parasite were flatfish (40%), congers (40%), squid (30%), whelk (10%), and tuna (10%). Anisakis simplex should be considered as a possible causative food allergen in adult patients presenting with urticaria, angioedema, and anaphylaxis following the consumption of raw fish or seafood.

The Association of Anisakiasis in the Ascending Colon with Sigmoid Colon Cancer: CT Colonography Findings

The association of anisakiasis of the colon with colon cancer is rare and difficult to diagnose. Only one case of this type has been reported to date. In this study, we report a case of synchronous colon cancer and colonic anisakiasis. A 50-year-old woman was admitted for abdominal pain, and a volume-rendered surface-shaded image of CT colonography (CTC) revealed a concentric narrowing in the sigmoid colon and a segmental fold thickening in the ascending colon. A total colectomy was performed and the diagnosis of synchronous sigmoid colon cancer and anisakiasis of the ascending colon was confirmed. This case is the first reported visualization of synchronous colon cancer and colonic anisakiasis on a CTC.

CT Findings of Surgically Verified Acute Invasive Small Bowel Anisakiasis Resulting in Small Bowel Obstruction

Acute invasive small bowel anisakiasis is an extremely rare cause of small bowel obstruction. The authors report a case of surgically verified small bowel anisakiasis resulting in small bowel obstruction. A 54-year-old man presented with suddenly developed diffuse abdominal pain after ingestion of raw fish. The peripheral blood examination showed leukocytosis without eosinophilia. CT showed a long segment of thickened small bowel accompanied by a focal narrowed portion and combined with ascites. When these findings are noted in patients with a history of recent ingestion of raw or undercooked fish, the diagnosis of small bowel anisakiasis should be considered in order to avoid application of unnecessary surgical treatment, in spite of the severity of the abdominal pain and bowel obstruction.