Response to Biofeedback Therapy for Patients with Rectal Hyposensitivity

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Rectal hyposensitivity (RH) has been treated with conventional biofeedback therapy (BFT), whereas the effectiveness and long term results of this therapy are not known. We aimed to investigate the effectiveness of BFT for patients with RH by conducting a retrospective review of prospectively collected data. METHODS: From June 2004 to March 2007, we enrolled those RH patients who underwent BFT. BFT was performed two or three times every week. Six months after BFT, the clinical response was evaluated by subjective and objective parameters. RESULTS: A total of 82 RH patients underwent BFT. Fifty three patients finished BFT and the other 29 patients dropped out during BFT. Thirty six patients (67.9%) showed responsiveness (R) to BFT and 17 (31.5%) showed non-responsiveness (NR). The characteristics between the two groups showed no difference, except for the "desire to defecate" volume (116.1+/-25.2 in the R group vs. 140.0+/-43.9 in the NR group, p value <0.05) and the rectoanal inhibitory reflex (RAIR) (15.6+/-0.5 in the R group R vs. 27.6+/-18.2 in the NR group, p value <0.05). The R group showed a shorter colon transit time compared to NR group. At six months after BFT, a total of 20 patients were interviewed; 15 patients answered that they still had responsiveness (75%). CONCLUSIONS: The patients with RH showed a similar BFT response to that of the constipated patients. However, the patients with a more hyposensitive rectum and a longer colonic transit showed NR to BFT, suggesting RH is an important factor in BFT responsiveness.

Usefulness and Cost-effectiveness of Colorectal Stent Followed by Curative Resection for Left-sided Malignant Colorectal Obstruction / 대한소화기내시경학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of preoperative stent insertion for treating left-sided malignant colorectal obstruction. METHODS: Patients with left-sided malignant colorectal obstruction were included in this study. The stent group (ST, n=24) included those patients who were treated with preoperative stent insertion followed by curative surgical resection. The clinical course and management cost of the ST group was compared to those of the emergency operation group (EO, n=22). RESULTS: The patients' age (60.6+/-3.1 yrs vs. 62.1+/-3.2 yrs, p=0.74) and the male to female ratio (12:12 vs. 15:7, p=0.25) were not different between the ST and EO groups. The distribution of the postoperative pathologic stages was also not different. All the patients in the ST group underwent only one surgical operation, while 6 patients (27.3%) in the EO group underwent 2 or more surgeries (p<0.01). The mean hospital stay in the ST group was 22.0+/-0.8 days compared to 26.3+/-2.4 days in the EO group (p=0.09). Postoperative care in the intensive care unit was necessary for one patient (4.2%) in the ST group, while 7 patients (31.8%) in EO group needed postoperative care (p=0.02). Postoperative complications developed in one patient in the ST group, while 6 patients in the EO experienced postoperative complications (p=0.04). The mean total cost per patient was 7,974,236 won for the ST group while this was 9,271,630 won for the EO group (p=0.06). CONCLUSIONS: Preopreative stent insertion for treating left-sided malignant colorectal obstruction is more cost-effective than an emergency operation.

Clinicopathological Aspects of 542 Cases of Pancreatic Cancer: a Special Emphasis on Small Pancreatic Cancer

Small pancreatic cancers (longest diameter < or =2 cm) have been regarded as preliminary to early pancreatic cancer, which was thought to be highly curable. During our experience since 1989, we evaluated 542 cases of pancreatic cancer. Among them we found 74 cases of tumors < or =2 cm in diameter, small pancreatic cancer (TS1 pancreatic cancer). Well-differentiated adenocarcinomas (18.9%) and absence of symptoms (8.1%) were more frequent in patients with TS1 than in those with larger pancreatic tumors. Only 16 of the 74 patients (21.6%) with small pancreatic cancers had T1 tumors. According to the International Union Against Cancer (UICC) staging, only 11 patients (14.9%) were stage IA: their 5-yr survival rate was 23.3% and their median survival was 30.0 months. Among these 11 patients, 3 had tumors <1 cm; their median survival time was 30.0 months and their 5-yr survival rate was 50.0%. These findings may indicate that 'small' pancreatic cancer is not equivalent to 'early' pancreatic cancer.

SPINK1 N34S Mutation as a Possible Cause of Chronic Pancreatitis in a Patient with Familial Background / 대한소화기학회지

New insight in the field of chronic pancreatitis was provided by the discovery of protease serine 1 (PRSS1) mutation, inherited by autosomal dominant trait in hereditary pancreatitis. Serine protease inhibior, Kazal type 1 (SPINK1) is a potent protease inhibitor which prevents premature intrapancreatic activation of trypsin and pancreatic autodigestion. Strong associations of SPINK1 mutation and different forms of pancreatitis were suggested. However, it is unlikely that SPINK1 mutation alone can cause chronic pancreatitis. This mutation acts as a disease-modifier or plays a role within polygenic or multifactorial models. A 23 year-old young woman with chronic pancreatitis was recently discovered to have SPINK1 N34S heterozygous mutation cosegregated with two intronic mutations, IVS1-37T>C and IVS3-69insTTTT, during the evaluation for potential cause of chronic idiopathic pancreatitis. The same mutation was identified in her mother. This is the first report in Korea suggesting that SPINK1 mutation would be a possible cause of chronic pancreatitis in a patient with familial background.

Three Cases of Hereditary Pancreatitis in Two Households in the Same Family Associated with R122H Mutation in Cationic Trypsinogen Gene / 대한소화기학회지

Hereditary pancreatitis is a rare, autosomal dominant, inherited disease characterized by recurrent attacks of acute pancreatitis with the development of chronic pancreatitis and an increased risk of pancreatic cancer. R122H or N29I mutation in cationic trypsinogen (protease serine 1, PRSS1) gene causes hereditary pancreatitis. R122H mutation is the most common mutation that causes pancreatitis by preventing deactivation of trypsin within the pancreas and prolonging its action. Three members of the family, the patient, her elder son, and her niece experienced recurrent attacks of pancreatitis. We analyzed five exons of the PRSS1 gene in DNA samples of five family members including her husband and younger son who were asymptomatic. We found out that four members of the family, the patient, her two sons, and her niece, had R122H mutation in the exon 3 of PRSS1 gene. Finally, we diagnosed hereditary pancreatitis in two households in the same family.

Diagnostic Criteria for Autoimmune Chronic Pancreatitis / 한양의대학술지

Autoimmune chronic pancreatitis (AIP) is a very attractive disease and increasingly being recognized to be a worldwide entity. Since the Japan Pancreas Society published diagnostic criteria for autoimmune chronic pancreatitis in 2002, increased attention toward this interesting disease has allowed the correct diagnosis of pancreatitis of previously unknown etiology, resulting in proper management and avoidance of surgery. Since the first case of AIP was reported in Asan medical center, Korea in 2002, more than 40 cases have been diagnosed until present. Accumulation of previously unrecognized or misdiagnosed cases of autoimmune chronic pancreatitis has revealed an increasing number of cases which are not fully compatible with the Japanese diagnostic criteria. Several institutes have, therefore, made and used their own criteria in the reporting of autoimmune chronic pancreatitis and the JPS criteria has also undergone revision recently. In this review, we discuss and compare the six current diagnostic criteria, discussing their own weak and strong points and then proposed a newly revised Kim's criteria.

A Case of Hypersensitivity Myocarditis

Hypersensitivity myocarditis may result from an allergic reaction to a variety of agents such as antibiotics, anticonvulsants and diuretics. A diagnosis of hypersensitivity myocarditis should be considered in any patient with an ongoing allergic reaction to a drug, evidence of peripheral eosinophilia, an appearance of new electrocardiographic changes, mildly elevated cardiac enzyme, mild cardiomegaly on chest X-ray or unexplained tachycardia. This condition is rarely recognized clinically although it is occasionally diagnosed on endomyocardial biopsy. We report a 25 year-old woman with hypersensitivity myocarditis, which was diagnosed by endomyo-cardial biopsy and successfully treated by immunosuppression therapy with corticosteroids.

A Case of Acute Purulent Pericarditis, Caused by Klebsiella Pneumoniae, without Preceeding Diseases

Acute pericarditis may be caused by a variety of disorders. Most cases of acute pericarditis without any initial apparent cause are idiopathic, although presumably viral in origin. While staphylococcus aureus, streptococcus pneumonias and streptococcus pyogens were the predominant organisms recovered prior to 1950, gram negative bacilli, anaerobic bacteria and fungus were recovered after 1950. These changes of the etiologic diversity of acute pericarditis were related to the development and advances of cardiac surgery, antibiotics, chemotherapy for cancer and immunosuppressive treatments. It is important for the therapy of acute bacterial pericarditis to establish the proper regimen of antibiotics and to drain pericardial effusion, if needed. We report a case of acute pericarditis, caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae, an uncommon pathogen that caused purulent pericarditis with cardiac tamponade.

A Case of Gigantic Ectasia of Right Coronary Artery Associated with Acute Myocardial Infarction

Coronary artery ectasia is an uncommon disorder diagnosed in 1 to 4% of patients undergoing coronary arteriography. Coronary artery ectasia is often considered a variant of atherosclerotic coronary artery disease, although other causes should be considered. Complications from this disease usually occur as thrombo-embolic phenomena primarily due to thrombosis in the ectatic segment of the coronary artery. A 53-year old man was transferred to our ER, presenting with acute inferior wall infarction. Coronary angiogram showed a gigantic ectatic right coronary artery (RCA) with occlusion of the mid portion by a huge mural thrombus. We injected and infused glycoprotein IIb-IIIa inhibitor in the RCA, however the lysis of thrombus was minimal. Subsequently, we infused Urokinase into the RCA for 2 days. Follow-up angiography revealed partial lysis of the thrombus. The patient demonstrated no thrombo-embolic events during two months of coumadinization, and follow-up angiography revealed a complete lysis of the thrombus.