ABSTRACT
A 73-year-old woman had sudden dystrophy and amnesia in our hospital. Her serum ammonia level was high. Marked collateral vessels from the splenic vein to the left renal vein around the spleen were seen on a computed tomography (CT) scan with contrast enhancement. An abdominal angiogram showed that the direction of the splenic vein was hepatofugal on superior mesenteric arterial portography, with a marked splenorenal shunt on splenic arterial portography. Hepatic encephalopathy due to a marked extrahepatic portal-systemic shunt was diagnosed. Transjugular retrograde obliteration (TJO) was attempted, but the catheter and guide wire could not selectively approach the splenorenal shunt because of many outflow routes. We punctured the vessels from the left side of the back under ultrasonographic guidance. We injected microcoils and ethanolamine oleate to completely obliterate the shunt. Marked collateral vessels showed no venous flow on a CT scan after treatment. The serum ammonia level was in the normal range. There has been no recanalization of the shunt vessels for 4 years after treatment. Hepatic encephalopathy has not recurred, and no other collateral vessels have developed. To our knowledge, this is the first report to document the use of a percutaneous transretroperitoneal direct approach to occlude a major shunt in a patient with extrahepatic portal-systemic encephalopathy.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND/AIMS: Endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) is widely used to treat early gastric cancer and is considered safe and effective. However, its indication range is limited. Other endoscopic treatment options are needed for patients with surgical risks. The aim of the study was to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of argon plasma coagulation (APC) for the treatment of early gastric cancer. METHODOLOGY: APC was done in 23 patients (mean age, 77.5 years) with early gastric cancer. The depth of tumor invasion, estimated primarily by endoscopic ultrasonography, was mucosal in 19 patients and submucosal in 4. EMR was not indicated in 4 cases, and 14 cases were not successfully treated by EMR alone. All patients were followed up for more than 12 months (median, 42.0+/-20.8 months). RESULTS: Fifteen patients had no recurrence and survived. Four patients had no recurrence, but died of causes other than gastric cancer. Cancer recurred in four patients. Recurrence was managed by repeated treatment with APC, with no technical problems. No serious complications occurred. CONCLUSIONS: APC is useful for follow-up treatment of early gastric cancer after EMR. APC may also be effective for radical treatment of early gastric cancer, especially in elderly patients and patients in whom surgical intervention is contraindicated.
