A Case of Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma Associated with Type IV Choledochal Cyst / 대한소화기학회지

Anomalous union of the pancreaticobiliary duct (AUPBD) is a congenital anomaly that is defined as a junction of the bile duct and pancreatic duct outside the duodenal wall. This anomaly results in a loss of normal sphincteric mechanisms at the pancreaticobiliary junction. As a result, regurgitation of pancreatic juice into the biliary system develops and causes choledochal cysts, choledocholithiasis, cholangitis, pancreatitis and malignancy of the biliary tract. Gallbladder cancer or common bile duct cancer associated with AUPBD and choledochal cysts have been frequently reported. But, intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma associated with this condition has been only rarely reported. Here, we report a case of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma associated with AUPBD and choledochal cyst.

A Case of Sigmoid Colon Tuberculosis Mimicking Colon Cancer

Tuberculosis of the sigmoid colon is a rare disorder. An 80-year-old man visited Bongseng Memorial Hospital for medical examination. A colonoscopy was performed, and a lesion in the sigmoid colon that was suspected to be colon cancer was found. A biopsy was performed, and tuberculous enteritis with chronic granulomatous inflammation was diagnosed. Intestinal tuberculosis is most frequent in the ileocecal area, followed by the ascending colon, transverse colon, duodenum, stomach, and sigmoid colon, in descending order. Hence, we report a case of intestinal tuberculosis in the sigmoid colon, which is rare and almost indistinguishable from colon cancer.

A Case of Duodenal Wall Abscess Caused by a Foreign Body / 대한소화기내시경학회지

Duodenal abscess is a form of phlegmonous enterocolitis and is a rarely reported disease throughout the entire world. Duodenal abscess mostly develops from complications of duodenal ulcer perforation, and may result in a clinically fatal course because it is difficult to differentiate from some diseases such as gastric ulcer, gastric cancer, hepatobiliary disorders etc.. The therapeutic gold standard is surgical intervention including abscess removal and drainage. We experienced a case of duodenal abscess that expressed non-specific symptoms, weight loss and epigastric pain, and diagnosed by gastrointestinal endoscopy, abdominal computed tomography. We successfully treated it through surgical intervention with intravenous antibiotics.

Endoscopic Removal of a Bile-Duct Stone Using Sphincterotomy and a Large-Balloon Dilator in a Patient with Situs Inversus Totalis

A 45-year-old female with known situs inversus totalis presented with colicky pain in the left upper abdominal quadrant. The laboratory parameters showed elevated neutrophils and a bilirubin level of 2 mg/dL. CT confirmed situs inversus totalis and dilatation of the intra- and extrahepatic ducts with a 10-mm common bile duct (CBD) stone and a 10-mm gallstone. She underwent papillary dilatation using a radial expansion balloon after sphincterotomy, after which the CBD stone was removed with a basket and balloon. There were no complications, such as bleeding, pancreatitis, or perforation. It might be reasonable to attempt a "partial" biliary endoscopic sphincterotomy followed by a large-balloon dilator in patients with concomitant distal bile duct, papillary stenosis, or altered anatomy (e.g., periampullary diverticulum, Billroth II anatomy). However, when performing an "adequate" biliary endoscopic sphincterotomy this is technically difficult, or in some cases even impossible, and is associated with a higher risk of complications. This paper further expands on the application of these techniques and shows that a papillary balloon dilatation after endoscopic sphincterotomy is a safe, easy, and effective technique for removing bile-duct stones in a patient with situs inversus totalis.

Abdominal Wound Metastasis after Laparoscopic Surgery of Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor

Surgical resection is the mainstay treatment for gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). Laparoscopic surgery can be considered for treating these tumors since their biologic behavior lends them to curative resection without requiring large margins or extensive lymphadenectomy. Despite complete resection, GISTs frequently recur specifically in the liver and peritoneum. Although they occur in other upper gastrointestinal malignancies, recurrences of GISTs at the port sites after laparoscopic surgery have rarely been reported. We describe here a patient with abdominal wound metastasis after laparoscopic surgery for GIST.

Acalculous cholecystitis in a patient with Churg-Strauss syndrome / 대한내과학회지

Churg-Strauss syndrome is an uncommon disorder characterized by asthma, hypereosinophilia, and systemic vasculitis. Gastrointestinal involvement is commonly encountered in Churg-Strauss syndrome; however, acute cholecystitis is rare, and few cases have been documented in the literature. A 22-year-old female with a history of asthma was admitted with a complaint of steady pain in the right upper abdominal quadrant. Laboratory test results showed leukocytosis with hypereosinophilia. Abdominal ultrasonography and computed tomography revealed acute cholecystitis. Her symptoms did not improve with conservative treatment, so she underwent percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage. Subsequently, peripheral neuropathy, erythematous papules on the skin, and dyspnea developed. A chest computed tomography scan showed bilateral pulmonary infiltrates. A pathological examination of the skin lesion indicated necrotizing vasculitis with eosinophilic infiltrates. She was diagnosed with Churg-Strauss syndrome. She was treated with corticosteroids, and her condition improved dramatically. After the drainage catheter was removed, complications including a bile leak occurred. Consequently, a cholecystectomy was performed.

The Effect of Percutaneous Transluminal Angioplasty on Hemodialysis Shunt Insufficiency / 대한신장학회잡지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty(PTA) and to determine patency rates and the factors affecting the long-term patency rates in the management of insufficient arteriovenous fistulae. METHODS: Sixty-one cases of insufficient dialysis shunts in 53 patients underwent venography of the fistula. These patients' indications of venographys were reviewed. Forty-six cases of insufficient dialysis shunts in 38 patients were treated by PTA. These patients' clinical characteristics and patency rates were evaluated. According to the patient's age, history of diabetes mellitus, duration of renal failure, type and age of the arteriovenous fistula, the site of AVF and length of the stenosis, and to the degree of residual stenosis, patency rates were compared within each subgroup using the Kaplan-Meier log- rank test. To estimate reasons for the incidence of vascular access failure, Cox regression model was used. Venographic findings of failed PTAs and PTA related complications were evaluated RESULTS: The success rate was 80.7%. In cases in which initial success was obtained, postintervention primary patency rate at 6, 12 and 24 months were 68%, 38% and 5% respectively. With repeatitive PTAs, postintervention assisted primary patency rate at 6, 12 and 24 months were 69%, 40% and 10% respectively. The effect of the above mentioned factors(age, DM, duration of CRF etc.) on long-term patency was not statistically significant(p > 0.05). Among 11 cases of failed PTA, there were 6 cases of total obstruction due to massive thrombosis and 5 cases of extensive vascular stenosis(>5 cm of length, >4 sites of stenosis and >75% of stenosis in all cases). There were no PTA related complications. CONCLUSION: PTA is considered to be an effective and safe treatment modality for shunt stenosis. No factors affected long-term patency rates in our study.

Diagnosis of sick sinus syndrome with intravenous adenosine injection

BACKGROUND: The most widely utilized indexes of sinus node dysfunction are the sinus node recovery time (SNRT) and the corrected sinus node recovery time (CSNRT), which generally require catheterization. Adenosine has negative chronotropic effect on the sinoatrial node. Non-invasive and reliable sinus node function test with intravenous adenosine was investigated. METHODS AND RESULT: The clinical value of rapid intravenous injection of adenosine for assessing sinus node dysfunction was examined in 14 patients with sick sinus syndrome (SSS) and 31 controls. After prophylactic insertion of a temporary pacemaker in the right ventricle, overdrive suppression test was conducted using the standard technique and CSNRT was measured to evaluate the sinus node function. Then, the CSNRT after administration of an intravenous bolus of adenosine (6 mg and 12 mg) was measured. Post-adenosine corrected sinus node recovery time (ADO: SNRT) was calculated by subtracting the basal sinus cycle length from the longest sinus cycle length. When ADO: SNRT over 550 msec was assumed as an indicator of sinus node dysfunction, intravenous injection of 6 mg of adenosine had a sensitivity of 85% and specificity of 100%, and 12 mg of adenosine had a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 90% for detection of sick sinus syndrome. There were significant differences in ADO: SNRT between patient and control group (6 mg 1501+/-1081 msec vs 64+/-109 msec; 12 mg 4005+/-2055 msec vs 216+/-315 msec, respectively). CONCLUSION: he ADO: SNRT was a highly sensitive and specific index for diagnosing sick sinus syndrome, and should be considered as an alternative to invasive testing in patients with suspected sick sinus syndrome.