The Clinical Efficacy of Uisng a Soehendra Stent Retriever for Endoscopic Biliary Drainage in Malignant Biliary Obstruction / 대한소화기내시경학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Endoscopic biliary drainage is widely used for the palliative treatment of malignant biliary obstruction. For the advanced stricture, the general treatments such as a dilating or balloon catheter can not fully expand a duct. The authors used a Soehendra Stent Retriever for these cases, and we evaluated the value of using this instrument for treating these patients. METHODS: From July 2006 to Jun 2008, we studied 12 patients with mailignant biliary obstruction (Klatskin's tumor=10, Gall bladder cancer=2) and who were failed at having a stent inserted with such general treatment such as using a dilating or balloon catheter (M: F=7:5, age=69.1 years old). For the bilateral biliary drainage of the duct, the "stent in stent" method was used and 12 patients were treated with a Soehendra Stent Retriever with clockwise rotation, as well as going forward to expand the target area of the intrahepatic bile duct obstruction and insert a metal stent. RESULTS: Ten patients among the 12 who were treated by a Soehendra Stent Retriever achieved successful insertion of a stent (technical success, 83.3%), and all 12 patients showed improvement of their jaundice. CONCLUSIONS: To insert bilateral stents for the advanced malignant biliary obstruction, expanding the strictured area with a Soehendra Stent Retriever can improve the success of inserting a stent.

A Case of Peribiliary Cysts / 대한소화기내시경학회지

Hepatic peribiliary cysts are characterized by multiple tiny cysts of peribiliary glands located in the hilum of the large portal tracts. A 54-year-old man was diagnosed as multiple peribiliary cysts by a magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatogram. A course of observation was taken, since surgery due to misdiagnosis of peribiliary cysts as a malignancy is a possibility. The present case highlights the need for precise diagnosis and observation of peribiliary cysts.

The Usefulness of Applying an Additional Clip When Using a Double-layered Pyloric Stent to Treat Gastric Outlet Obstruction / 대한소화기내시경학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: It has been reported the placement of a double-layered pyloric combination stent can overcome the disadvantage of the increased ingrowth observed for an uncovered stent and the increased migration for a covered stent. But this did not satisfactorily prevent stent migration and it caused stent migration more frequently than with using the uncovered stent. This study evaluated the usefulness of applying a clip in an effort to reduce stent migration. METHODS: Fifteen patients with malignant gastric outlet obstruction were treated with endoscopic placement of a double-layered combination pyloric stent. Three endoscopic clips were then applied to fix the proximal end of the enteral stent to the gastric or duodenal mucosa. The clinical efficacy and especially the rate of migration were analyzed. RESULTS: The technical and clinical success rate was 100% (15/15) and 93.3% (14/15), respectively. No stent migration was observed in any of the patients. Three patients (20%) experienced complications such as stent collapse. The median stent patency period was 83.4 days. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic clipping for enteral stent placement is effective for preventing stent migration in patients with malignant gastric outlet obstruction.

The Balloon Occluded Method for Selective Cannulation of the Intrahepatic Duct: A Case Report / 대한소화기내시경학회지

Selective cannulation into the intrahepatic duct during ERCP can occasionally be difficult and time-consuming depending on the GI tract anatomy and the presence of biliary tree anomalies or pathology. A variety of techniques or devices have been used to enhance the success rate of selective cannulation in these situations. The balloon occluded method for selective cannulation of the LHD (left hepatic duct) with using an inflated balloon catheter to occlude the RHD (right hepatic duct) has also been reported. We report here a case of successful selective cannulation of the RHD with using an inflated balloon catheter to occlude the LHD in a patient who had a GB cancer with liver metastasis. After this maneuver, a guidewire is advanced; it deflects off the inflated balloon and then proceeds to the RHD.

An esophageal duplication cyst that presented with sudden-onset dysphagia / 대한내과학회지

Esophageal duplication is a rare congenital disorder. Although infrequent, complications such as infection, bleeding, and perforation have been reported. Surgical resection is the standard treatment for esophageal duplication cysts. We report the case of a 45-year-old female with an esophageal duplication cyst that presented with dysphagia, with a review of the literature.

Risk Factors for Post-ERCP Pancreatitis in Patients Pretreated with Nafamostat Mesilate / 대한소화기내시경학회지

BACKGOUND/AIMS: Pancreatitis is the most common and important complication of an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). The aim of this study was to identify risk factors for post ERCP-pancreatitis in patients pretreated with nafamostat mesilate, a synthetic protease inhibitor. METHODS: A total of 247 patients who underwent an ERCP were evaluated prospectively. Potential risk factors of post-ERCP pancreatitis in patients pretreated with nafamostat mesilate were evaluated. RESULTS: Twenty-four patients (9.7%) and nine patients (3.6%) developed post-ERCP hyperamylasemia and pancreatitis, respectively. As determined by univariate analysis among the potential risk factors, we found a procedure time over 20 minutes, pancreatic duct cannulation over four times, prior post-ERCP pancreatitis and the absence of a common bile duct (CBD) stone as risk factors for post-ERCP hyperamylasemia. We also found a patient age under 60 years, a procedure time over 20 minutes, pancreatic duct cannulation over four times and the absence of a CBD stone as risk factors for post-ERCP pancreatitis (p<0.05). As determined by multivariate analysis, pancreatic cannulation over four times is independently associated with post-ERCP hyperamylasemia (p=0.038; OR, 5.165; 95% CI, 1.093~24.412) and post-ERCP pancreatitis (p=0.002; OR, 33.122; 95% CI, 3.526~311.138). CONCLUSIONS: A repeated pancreatic duct cannulation is the most important risk factor for post-ERCP pancreatitis in patients pretreated with nafamostat mesilate.

Catheter Probe Endoscopic Ultrasonography Using the Jelly-Filled Method for Esophageal Subepithelial Lesions / 대한소화기내시경학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The catheter probe endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) system is widely used to evaluate upper gastrointestinal tract lesions. The depiction of the esophageal wall by probe EUS remains problematic due to the difficulty of the filling of water in the esophageal lumen. In addition, filling the esophagus with water can be associated with an increased risk of aspiration. To resolve such problems, we recently applied the use of probe EUS with the jelly-filled method for the evaluation of subepithelial lesions. The procedure is characterized by filling the esophageal lumen with jelly. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of probe EUS by using the jelly-filled method for esophageal subepithelial lesions. METHODS: We analyzed the records of the patients with suspected subepithelial lesions at the time of endoscopy that was performed from November 2005 to June 2007. Esophageal subepithelial lesions with both EUS findings and pathological reports were retrospectively compared. RESULTS: The study included 181 patients (96 males, 85 females), with an average age of 55.5 years (age range, 29~78 years). Sixty-eight patients had lesions in the upper esophagus, 60 patients had lesions in the middle esophagus and 53 patients had lesions in the lower esophagus. Secondary layers of esophageal lesions were predominant (91/181) in the cases. Pathological findings were available for 34 patients. Compared with the pathological findings, the diagnostic accuracy of EUS was 91.1%. CONCLUSIONS: Probe EUS by using the jelly-filled method is convenient and safe to perform and provides clear and full-circumferential imaging of a lesion. It is an alternative method to use in place of previously used probe-EUS procedures for the assessment of esophageal subepithelial lesions.

Two Cases of Gastric Schwannomas: with Ulcer and without Ulcer / 대한소화기내시경학회지

A Schwannoma is a benign tumor that originates from Schwann cells in the gastric wall. The tumor is mainly asymptomatic but sometimes can cause bleeding of the upper GI tract. We encountered a Schwannoma that was identified by gastroscopy as a submucosal mass that might be malignant. Therefore, surgery was considered as the primary treatment. The Schwannoma was confirmed retrospectively by a pathologic examination after excising the mass. This case report is a comparative study into Schwanoma with and without central ulceration. Pathologically, atypia of the cell was discovered in the case accompanied by an ulcer, which is a secondary phenomenon caused by the degeneration that does not indicate the malignancy.

A Case of Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis Accompanied by Acute Hepatitis A: Review of the Literature

A previously healthy 26-year-old female was referred to our hospital because of fever and abnormalities of her blood biochemistry. Her laboratory results displayed leukopenia (1.79x103/microliter), thrombocytopenia (85x103/microliter), the serum aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase levels were elevated to more than 2,000 IU/L, and the serum levels of lactate dehydrogenase and ferritin were markedly increased. Mild hepatosplenomegaly was reported on the abdomen-pelvis computed tomography. The bone marrow smears revealed proliferation of mature histiocytes that were ingesting platelets and erythrocytes, which is consistent with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. Although the other viral markers were all negative, the anti-hepatitis A IgM was positive and the anti-hepatitis A IgG was negative. Therefore, the patient was diagnosed as hepatitis A-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. Since a fulminant clinical course was suspected, 2 cycles of cyclosporine (3mg/kg iv from day 1 to day 5), dexamethasone (30mg iv qd from day1 to day 4) and immunoglobulin (500mg/kg iv day 1) therapy was started from the seventh day after onset and a favorable clinical outcome resulted.