Mechanism of Action of Cholecystokinin on Colonic Motility in Isolated, Vascularly Perfused Rat Colon

BACKGROUND/AIMS: It is generally believed that cholecystokinin (CCK) stimulates colonic motility, although there are controversial reports. It has also been suggested that postprandial peptide YY (PYY) release is CCK-dependent. Using a totally isolated, vascularly perfused rat colon, we investigated: (1) the roles of CCK and PYY on colonic motility, (2) to determine if CCK modulates PYY release from the colon to influence the motility and (3) to clarify whether the action of CCK and PYY on colonic motility is mediated via the influence of cholinergic input. METHODS: An isolated whole rat colon was used. Luminal pressure was monitored via microtip catheter pressure transducers from proximal and distal colon. After a control period, CCK-8 or PYY was administerd intraarterially with or without an anti-PYY serum, loxiglumide or atropine at 12, 60 and 240 pM. Each dose was given for a period of 15-minute and the contractile response was expressed as % changes over basal. PYY concentration in the portal effluent was determined by radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: Exogenous CCK-8 increased colonic motility which paralleled the increase in PYY release in the portal effluent. Exogenous PYY also significantly increased colonic motility although it was less potent than CCK. The stimulating effect of CCK-8 was significantly inhibited by an anti-PYY serum, and was completely abolished by loxiglumide, and almost completely abolished by atropine. CONCLUSIONS: CCK increases colonic motility via CCK1 receptor and it is mediated partly by PYY. Cholinergic input is required for the increased motility by either PYY or CCK.

Clinical Observation after Resection of Lower Gastrointestinal Carcinoid Tumor

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The increase of colonoscopy procedures has led to an increase in the diagnosis of carcinoid tumors in the lower gastrointestinal tract. The purpose of this study was to identify the clinical and pathological characteristics that affect the treatment and recurrence of carcinoid tumors of the lower gastrointestinal tract. METHODS: A 10-year (1999-2009) retrospective analysis of 41 patients with carcinoid tumors of the lower gastrointestinal tract at the Chungbuk National University Hospital was conducted. Patient and tumor characteristics, treatment and recurrence were analyzed. RESULTS: The mean age was 47.4+/-12.4 (range, 22-79 years) and the male to female ratio was 1:0.64. The mean tumor size was 9.4+/-4.8 (3-20) mm. In the lower gastrointestinal tract, the rectum was the most frequent location of the lower gastrointestinal carcinoid tumors (92.7%). Twenty-nine out of 41 patients were treated by endoscopy (mean size of tumor: 8.0+/-3.4 mm) and 12 were treated by surgery (mean size of tumor: 13.8+/-5.8 mm)(P=0.011). Among the patients treated by endoscopy, only one patient had a complete resection. However, the histology showed that 10 patients treated by endoscopy had positive resection margins; all 10 cases (35.7%) had a polypectomy (P=0.013). The mean follow-up duration was 19.2+/-14.5 months, and there were two recurrences of rectal carcinoid tumors. CONCLUSIONS: Both endoscopic and surgical resections were effective methods for the treatment of lower gastrointestinal carcinoid tumors. However, endoscopic polypectomy should be carefully considered because of the possibility of more frequent incomplete histological resections. Moreover, even for small rectal carcinoid tumors, follow-up examination should be performed to evaluate for tumor recurrence.

Genotypic resistance to entecavir in chronic hepatitis B patients / 대한간학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The prevalence and clinical characteristics of entecavir (ETV) resistance is not well known. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of genotypic resistance in nonresponders and virologic breakthrough (VBT) patients. METHODS: The medical records of 76 chronic hepatitis B patients treated for a least 6 months from October 2006 to October 2008 were reviewed retrospectively. We divided patients into two groups: nucleoside analogue (NA)-naive patients (n=38) and LAM experienced patients (n=38). NA-naive and LAM experienced patients received ETV at 0.5 and 1.0 mg/day, respectively. The virologic response and VBT were investigated in both groups. We used the multiplex restriction fragment mass polymorphism (RFMP) method to test genotypic resistance at the rtI169, rtT184, rtS202, rtM204, and rtM250 sites. RESULTS: Age, gender, serum ALT, and HBV DNA level before treatment did not differ between the groups. Neither VBT nor nonresponse was observed in the NA-naive group, whereas VBT and nonresponse were observed in three patients each in the lamivudine (LAM)-experienced group; all six patients had YMDD mutation at study enrollment, all three patients with VBT had genotypic resistance to ETV, but the three nonresponse patients did not have genotypic resistance to ETV. CONCLUSIONS: We suspect that VBT is mostly associated with genotypic resistance to ETV. However, nonresponse might be associated with the continuance or reselection of the YMDD mutant in LAM-experienced patients.

A Case of Splenic Artery Aneurysm Mimicking Gastric Submucosal Tumor / 대한소화기내시경학회지

Splenic artery aneurysm is an uncommon clinical entity. Most of these aneurysms are asymptomatic, but if an aneurysm ruptures, it can be fatal and its mortality rate reaches 70 percent. Regardless of the presence of symptoms, if the size of the asymptomatic aneurysm is larger than 2 cm in diameter or the patient is pregnant, then the anurysm should be treated. A 74-year-old female visited our hospital complaining of nonspecific epigastric discomfort. Endoscopic examination of the stomach revealed a submucosal tumor like protruding mass in the body and it was finally diagnosed as a splenic artery aneurysm by computed tomography. We report here on a case of a splenic artery aneurysm that mimicked a submucosal tumor, and this aneurysm was treated with surgery.

Clinical Significance of Bowel Wall Thickening Detected with 64-Slice Multidetector Computed Tomography / 대한소화기학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) scanning frequently leads to the incidental discovery of bowel wall thickening. The aim of this study was to determine the utility of gastroscopy and colonoscopy in the management of patients who had incidental discovery of bowel wall thickening on MDCT. METHODS: From May 2006 to March 2008, the abdominal MDCT reports of all patients in Chungbuk National University Hospital were reviewed. Cases with any bowel thickening was selected and then patients who received gastroscopy or colonoscopy after abdominal MDCT were re-selected. RESULTS: Gastroscopy revealed abnormal findings in 22 (95.7%) out of 23 patients, and 10 patients (43.5%) had stomach cancers. Colonoscopy revealed abnormal findings in 35 (85.4%) out of 41 patients, and 12 patients (29%) had malignant tumors. In the patients who had lymph node enlargement (p<0.001), dirty fat infiltration (p=0.025), and irregular wall thickening (p<0.001) on MDCT malignancy was observed more frequently. CONCLUSIONS: We recommend gastroscopy and colonoscopy to patients who had incidentally found bowel wall thickening on MDCT, especially those with lymph node enlargement, dirty fat infiltration, and irregular wall thickening.

A case of virus-associated hemophagocytic syndrome / 대한내과학회지

Hemophagocytosis refers to the pathologic finding of activated macrophages engulfing erythrocytes, leukocytes, platelets, and their precursor cells. Hemophagocytic syndrome (HS) (more properly referred to as hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis) is a distinct clinical entity characterized by fever, pancytopenia, splenomegaly, and hemophagocytosis in the bone marrow, spleen, and lymph nodes. HS is associated with a variety of viral, bacterial, fungal, and parasitic infections, as well as with collagen vascular diseases and malignancies. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated HS is almost always a fatal disease. The authors present a case of EBV-associated HS. The patient had fever and hepatosplenomegaly and showed pancytopenia, jaundice, and positive EBV viral markers in serum, positive EBV DNA in the liver biopsy specimen, and hemophagocytosis in the bone marrow. The patient died unexpectedly 1 month after admission. We report the details of this case of fatal EBV-associated hemophagocytic syndrome along with a brief review of the literature.

A Case of Massive Air Embolism after Contrast-enhanced Computed Tomography / 결핵및호흡기질환

A venous air embolism is a complication of various venous access procedures such as contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT). Although most cases of iatrogenic venous air embolisms during CECT involve a few milliliters of air and are asymptomatic, a massive venous air embolism can be fatal. We report a case of a massive intraventricular air embolism after CECT with a review of the literature regarding the pathophysiology and treatment of air embolisms.

A Case of Massive Air Embolism after Contrast-enhanced Computed Tomography / 결핵및호흡기질환

A venous air embolism is a complication of various venous access procedures such as contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT). Although most cases of iatrogenic venous air embolisms during CECT involve a few milliliters of air and are asymptomatic, a massive venous air embolism can be fatal. We report a case of a massive intraventricular air embolism after CECT with a review of the literature regarding the pathophysiology and treatment of air embolisms.

A Case of Simple Type Caroli's Disease Confined to Right Lobe of the Liver / 대한소화기학회지

Caroli's disease is a rare congenital hepatobiliary disease characterized by multifocal segmental dilatation of intrahepatic bile ducts affecting all or parts of the liver. Two forms of Caroli's disease are described, the pure form and that associated with periportal fibrosis. The disease may diffusely affect the liver or be localized to one lobe or segment. Less than 20% of all reported cases of Caroli's disease are monolobar type. We report a case of simple type Caroli's disease confined to right lobe of the liver in a 22 year old man. He was admitted due to right upper abdominal pain and diagnosed by magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography. He was treated with right hepatic lobectomy and recovered completely.

A Case of Spontaneous Bleeding from the Branch of Subclavian Artery in a Hemodialysis Patient / 대한신장학회지

In patients undergoing hemodialysis, spontaneous bleedings have been reported in locations such as mediastinum, subdural space, retroperitoneum, pericardial and pleural cavities. A 61 year-old woman had been treated three times a week with maintenance hemodialysis via tunnelled cuffed central venous catheter for 4 months. She had a sudden onset of severe pain on right chest wall 24 hours after maintenance hemodialysis. We found that her right upper chest wall was swollen. Urgent computed tomography revealed a soft tissue mass with high density in right chest wall. The lesion was enhanced by contrast but was not clearly marginated in arterial phase. We did emergent hemodialysis, and did transfusion of packed red blood cells and fresh frozen plasma and compressed locally on her right chest wall. Hematoma was spontaneously resolved only after supportive care. Therapeutic approaches to uremic patients with bleeding disorders include angiography, hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, transfusion of packed red cells and fresh frozen plasma, infusion of erythropoietin, desmopressin, conjugated estrogen, etc. In this case, spontaneous bleeding without trauma history can occur in patients with endstage renal disease who underwent hemodialysis using catheter. Therefore, immediate treatment should be followed when evidence of bleeding is found.