Endoscopic retrieval of gastric trichophytobezoar: Case report of a 12-year-old girl with trichophagia.

RATIONALE: Trichophytobezoars, which are composed of hair and plant fibers, are usually located in the stomach. They are often associated with trichophagia and trichotillomania. The most commonly reported methods of trichophytobezoar treatment are open surgery and laparoscopic retrieval; there are few reports of endoscopic removal of trichophytobezoars. PATIENT CONCERNS AND DIAGNOSES: Twelve-year-old girl presented with a 3-day history of increasing upper abdominal pain, anorexia, and postprandial emesis. She had a 3-year history of pulling out and eating her own hair. Endoscopic examination showed a large intragastric trichophytobezoar measuring 10.5 cm × 3.5 cm in size, with extension of a few hairs through the pylorus. INTERVENTIONS AND OUTCOMES: The trichophytobezoar was packed with hair fibers and contained a hard core of mixed hair and vegetable fibers. After the core was cut, the trichophytobezoar was fragmented into pieces with the alternating use of a polypectomy snare and argon plasma coagulation. A small amount of hair and nondigestible food fibers was removed with grasping forceps during the initial procedure. The remaining hairball was loosened with biopsy forceps and was injected with sodium bicarbonate solution. The trichophytobezoar was removed completely at repeat endoscopy 5 days later. After 6 months of psychological intervention, the patient had no recurrence of trichophagia or trichophytobezoar. LESSONS: Endoscopy with sodium bicarbonate injection is an effective and minimally invasive method of retrieving a gastric trichophytobezoar.

Relationships between Th1/Th2 cytokine profiles and chest radiographic manifestations in childhood Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia.

BACKGROUND: Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP) is one of the most common childhood community-acquired pneumonias, and the chest radiograph usually shows bronchial pneumonia, segmental/lobar pneumonia, or segmental/lobar pneumonia with pleural effusion. The imbalance of Th1/Th2 function after Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection is an important immunological mechanism of MPP. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the correlations between Th1/Th2 cytokine profiles and chest radiographic manifestations in MPP children. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 87 children with MPP were retrospectively reviewed in this study. According to the chest radiographic manifestations, they were divided into the following three groups: bronchial MPP group, segmental/lobar MPP group, and segmental/lobar MPP with pleural effusion group. Clinical features and changes in Th1/Th2 cytokines were further analyzed. RESULTS: The incidence of tachypnea and cyanosis was higher in children with segmental/lobar MPP with pleural effusion than in those with segmental/lobar or bronchial MPP. The peak body temperature of segmental/lobar MPP was higher than that of bronchial MPP, and the duration of fever and hospitalization was positively correlated with the severity of MPP. MPP children's chest radiograph showed a relationship with the changes in Th1/Th2 cytokines. Serum interleukin-4, interleukin-10 (IL-10), interferon-γ, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) of segmental/lobar MPP were significantly higher than those of bronchial MPP, and serum IL-10 (cutoff value: 27.25 pg/mL) can be used as a diagnostic predictor for segmental/lobar MPP. Serum TNF-α and interleukin-6 of segmental/lobar MPP with pleural effusion were significantly higher than those of segmental/lobar MPP without pleural effusion. Serum TNF-α (cutoff value: 60.25 pg/mL) can be used as a diagnostic predictor for segmental/lobar MPP with pleural effusion. CONCLUSION: There were significant correlations between Th1/Th2 cytokine profiles and chest radiographic manifestations in MPP children. Serum IL-10 and TNF-α can be used as an optimal predictor for segmental/lobar MPP and segmental/lobar MPP with pleural effusion, respectively.