A Prospective Comparison of Sulfate Free Polyethylene Glycol versus Sodium Phosphate Solution for Precolonoscopic Bowel Preparation / 대한소화기내시경학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Polyethylene glycol (PEG) solution is commonly used for precolonoscopic preparation because of its safety and effectiveness. Sulfate free PEG (SF-PEG) solution was developed to reduce the salty taste by removing the sodium sulfate. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and patient compliance of SF-PEG and sodium phosphate (NaP) solutions for preparing the bowel before colonoscopy. METHODS: From February through April in 2007, 534 patients who underwent colonoscopy were prospectively enrolled. The efficacy of bowel cleansing was assessed by a doctor's questionnaire and the patient's compliance was assessed by a patient's questionnaire. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the groups for the "stools and fluids" assessment of bowel cleansing (2.07 vs. 2.14, respectively, p=0.149). However, SF-PEG was more effective on the "air bubbles" assessment (1.34 vs. 1.71, respectively, p<0.001) and the overall assessment (0.72 vs. 0.91, respectively, p=0.010) than NaP. The patients preferred SF-PEG rather than NaP for "Taste" (1.34 vs. 2.25, respectively, p=0.148). However, the patients significantly preferred NaP rather than SF-PEG for "Quantity" (2.46 vs. 1.18, respectively, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The SF-PEG solution showed more effectiveness for bowel cleansing as compared to the NaP solution. SF-PEG tastes better than NaP, but patients are still required to consume 4 liters for the standard preparing regimen.

Clinical Characteristics of Colonic Diverticular Disease Diagnosed with Colonoscopy

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Although colonic diverticular disease is less common in Koreans than in Western people, its incidence has been on the increase in Korea. We investigated the clinical characteristics and related complications of colonic diverticular disease in Koreans. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 9,006 patients who underwent colonoscopy at the Seoul Paik hospital between July 2002 and January 2008. RESULTS: Of the 9,006 patients, there were 654 cases (7.3%) of colonic diverticulosis (472 men, 182 women). The mean age of the patients was 54.6+/-12.0 years. The right colon was involved in 535 cases, the left colon was involved in 86 cases and both the left and right colon was involved in 33 cases. Among the patients, a single diverticulum was seen in 253 cases and two or more diverticuli were seen in 401 cases. Related complications were diverticulitis (11 cases, 1.7%) and diverticular bleeding (3 cases, 0.5%). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of colonic diverticular disease in Korea shows an increasing trend. Colonic diverticular lesions are frequently found in the right colon.

A Case of Primary Leiomyosarcoma of the Liver Presenting with Acute Bleeding / 대한소화기학회지

Leiomyosarcoma is a rare tumor of the liver. It usually arises from many other organs including uterus, gastrointestinal tract, retroperitoneum, and soft tissues. Primary hepatic leiomyosarcoma progresses very slowly and is not associated with chronic liver disease. When the tumor is detected early enough to be treated by operation, the prognosis is favorable. While several cases of primary hepatic leiomyosarcoma have been reported in Korea, there was no case associated with acute bleeding. We report a 80-year old male patient with huge primary hepatic leiomyosarcoma, who presented with acute bleeding and IVC obstruction. The patient was treated by embolization and IVC stenting.

Hyponatremic Encephalopathy Following a Sulfate Free Polyethylene Glycol-based Bowel Preparation for Colonoscopy / 대한소화기내시경학회지

Hyponatremia associated with the use of both a sodium phosphate (NaP) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) solution for colonoscopy preparation has been reported in patients with impaired renal handling of water. A PEG solution is believed to affect serum electrolytes less than NaP, but the use of a PEG solution can lead to nausea, vomiting, intestinal hyperactivity and dehydration, often resulting in a raised plasma antidiuretic hormone (ADH) concentration. Non-osmolar stimuli such as pain, stress, nausea, and vomiting can stimulate ADH release. We report a case of severe hyponatremic encephalopathy after sulfate-free PEG ingestion for a colonoscopy in a healthy middle-aged woman. We think that physicians should be familiar with the medical history and current medication schedule of patients prior to bowel preparation. The levels of serum electrolytes should be checked in patients with impaired ability to excrete free water and any mental aberrations before undertaking colonoscopy procedures.

A Case of Peutz-Jeghers Polyp that was Diagnosed using Capsule Endoscoy and the Polyp was Removed by Means of Double Balloon Enteroscopy / 대한소화기내시경학회지

Peutz-Jeghers syndrome is an autosomal dominant hereditary disease that's characterized by hamartomatous polyps of the gastrointestinal tract and mucocutaneous melanin pigmentation. Hamartomatous polyps can arise anywhere in the gastrointestinal tract, but they are most common in the small intestine. The major symptoms of Peutz-Jeghers syndrome are abdominal pain, intussusception and anemia due to gastrointestinal bleeding, which are all caused by harmatomatous polyp. Capsule endoscopy has been reported to have a higher diagnostic yield than small bowel barium radiography for patients with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome and who have small bowel polyp. Small bowel polyp in patients with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome can be resected by double balloon enteroscopy without laparotomy. We report here on a patient with melena that was caused by small bowel polyps, and this was found by using capsule endoscopy. Polyp in the distal ileum was resected by using colonoscopy and the patient was diagnosed as suffering with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome. The other proximal ileum polyp was resected by using double balloon enteroscopy without complication.

A Case of Endoscopic Unroofing after Detachable Snare Ligation of a Duodenal Duplication Cyst / 대한소화기내시경학회지

A duodenal duplication cyst is rare congenital anomaly, which accounts for 5% of all gastrointestinal duplication cysts. Most of the duodenal duplication cysts are usually found during infancy or early childhood, and present with obstructive symptoms. The most common clinical manifestations are an intestinal obstruction or, less commonly, hemorrhage, perforation, biliary obstruction or pancreatitis. The traditional treatment of a duodenal duplication cyst has been complete surgical resection, but very few cases of endoscopic treatment of a duodenal duplication cyst have been previously reported recently in the literature. Moreover, endoscopic treatment of a duodenal duplication cyst has not been reported in Korea. We report our first experience of a duodenal duplication cyst, including diagnosis and endoscopic management with a detachable snare.

Efficacy of Niti-S ComVi Stents for Palliation of Malignant Gastrointestinal Obstruction / 대한소화기내시경학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Niti-S ComVi stents are flexible and retain the shape-memory of the original configuration. ComVi stents are effective in preventing tumor ingrowth because polytetrafluoroethylene is inserted between two stent wires. The aim of this study was to examine the efficacy of Niti-S ComVi stents for the palliation of a malignant gastrointestinal obstruction. METHODS: Between April 2004 and April 2006, 17 patients (20 cases) underwent Niti-S ComVi stenting, using a through-the- scope method. The technical and clinical success, complication, and outcome were analyzed. RESULTS: Stent insertion was technically successful in 18 cases (90%). Malposition to the afferent loop occurred in 2 cases. Symptomatic improvement was achieved in 14 cases (70%). The mean gastric outlet obstruction score was 0.2 before stenting and 1.6 after stenting. The complications encountered were stent migration (2 cases) and obstruction (5 cases), which were treated by re-stenting and balloon dilatation. Twelve patients died with a median survival of 67 days. Five patients were still alive with a median follow up of 151 days. The overall median stent patency time was 60 days. The mean waist diameter of the stents was expanded to 57% of full expansion immediately after deployment, and 77% after 36 hours. CONCLUSIONS: Niti-S ComVi stenting is an effective palliative technique for inoperable or postoperative recurrent tumors, and significantly improves the quality of life.

Treatment of Rectal Stricture with Crohn's Disease Using Local Steroid Injection Following Dilation by Bougienation / 대한소화기내시경학회지

Crohn's disease has shown increased frequency in Korea. When unresponsive to medical therapy, intestinal stricture, a serious complication of Crohn's disease, sometimes requires surgical resection. However, surgical therapy has many problems because the stricture tend to recur frequently. Recently, endoscopic therapy such as bougienation or balloon dilatation has been used in treatment of intestinal stricture, because of its inexpensiveness, simplicity and safety. Combined steroid injection therapy using has shown more effective outcome than endoscopic dilatation alone by suppression of wound healing and reduction of fibrosis. We report a case of complicated rectal stricture in a patient with Crohn's disease, which dilated successfully using injection of triamcinolone following bougienation.

Enteric Fever with Bowel Perforation Caused by Nontyphoidal Group D Salmonella / 감염과화학요법

The case of enteric fever and bowel perforation caused by nontyphoidal Salmonella spp. is extremely rare. We report a case of a 28-year-old man who suffered from enteric fever with complicated a small bowel perforation, which is a known complication of S. typhi and S. paratyphi infections. The culprit later proved to be nontyphoidal group D Salmonella spp. in our case.

Enteric Fever with Bowel Perforation Caused by Nontyphoidal Group D Salmonella / 감염과화학요법

The case of enteric fever and bowel perforation caused by nontyphoidal Salmonella spp. is extremely rare. We report a case of a 28-year-old man who suffered from enteric fever with complicated a small bowel perforation, which is a known complication of S. typhi and S. paratyphi infections. The culprit later proved to be nontyphoidal group D Salmonella spp. in our case.

A Case of Reactivated Tuberculous Colitis After 9 Months of Anti-tuberculous Therapy / 대한소화기학회지

Tuberculous colitis, an important extra-pulmonary tuberculosis, is still prevalent in the developing countries and has been resurging in the Western world. The duration and dose of anti-tuberculous therapy have not yet been clarified in the tuberculous colitis. We experienced a case of tuberculous colitis, which relapsed after 9 months of therapy. A 28-year-old man presented with hematochezia and was diagnosed as tuberculous colitis on the basis of colonoscopic findings. He was treated with anti-tuberculous agents for 9 months successfully. Three months later, however, he complained of hematochezia again, suggesting the relapse of tuberculous colitis. He had taken anti-tuberculous therapy for another 15 months and showed no evidence of relapse. Although anti-tuberculous therapy is efficient for tuberculous colitis, rare cases of reactivation should be reminded.

Endobronchial Lipomatous Hamartoma Removed by Bronchotomy: One case report / 대한흉부외과학회지

Hamartoma is rare but the most common benign neoplasm in the lung. However endobronchial lipomatous hamartoma has been rarely reported. A 73-year-old male patient was admitted to our hospital due to hemoptysis 1 month prior to admission. On bronchoscopic examination, a large pedunculated endobronchial mass right upper lobar bronchus. The endobronchial mass was enucleated by bronchotomy that is no evidence of malignancy in frozen specimens. We report a case of endobronchial lipomartous hamartoma which was resected by bronchotomy.