Extraserosal pedunculated leiomyoma of stomach.

Leiomyoma of the stomach, a type of gastrointestinal stromal tumor, is uncommon. We report a 51-year-old woman with an extraserosal pedunculated leiomyoma of the stomach.

Ascitic fluid filtration and intravenous infusion versus total-volume paracentesis with infusion of plasma expander in cirrhosis with tense or intractable ascites.

BACKGROUND: Patients with cirrhotic ascites have low serum albumin levels, and paracentesis of ascitic fluid could compromise them further. AIM: We compared the therapeutic efficacy of ascitic fluid filtration and concentrate infusion (AFI) versus total-volume paracentesis (TVP) with colloid infusion in control of tense or intractable cirrhotic ascites. METHODS: Ten patients underwent AFI; their ascitic fluid was filtered repeatedly through hollow-fiber hemodialyzer, and the concentrate reinfused intravenously. In ten patients TVP was done with simultaneous intravenous colloid infusion. Follow-up was done weekly and the study terminated if the patient needed diuretics or developed complications. RESULTS: Pre-study parameters were similar in the two groups. In the AFI and TVP groups, the duration of procedure was median 12 hours and 5.5 hours; fluid removed by paracentesis was 10.2 L and 8.0 L, respectively; and fluid infused intravenously was 0.5 L [with mean (SD) protein content 5.7 (1.3) g/dl] and 1.1 L, respectively. Glomerular filtration rates were lower than normal in the two groups but did not change significantly with the procedure; body weight remained significantly lower up to week 3 and week 2, respectively. The study was terminated at median week 3 (range 1-8) and week 2 (1-4), respectively. Fever was an accompaniment of AFI and one patient developed peritonitis. CONCLUSION: Patients undergoing AFI remained diuretic-free longer; the procedure is cost-effective but needs to be further evaluated to minimize the side-effects.

Persistent transaminase elevation due to heterozygous (familial) apolipoprotein B deficiency.

Homozygous apolipoprotein B deficiency can present with fatty liver and raised levels of transaminases. Subjects with heterozygous deficiency are almost always asymptomatic. We report an asymptomatic 26-year-old man with persistently raised transaminases, in whom the diagnosis of heterozygous (familial) apolipoprotein B deficiency was made on the basis of characteristic lipid profile.