Portal Biliopathy Misdiagnosed as Hilar Cholangiocarcinoma / 대한소화기학회지

Portal biliopathy refers to the changes in the bile duct caused by portal vein thrombosis or obstruction. It is assumed to be caused by cavernous transformation due to the development of the venous system surrounding the bile duct, but the exact pathology is still unknown. Biliary morphologic abnormalities of portal biliopathy are discovered incidentally on radiographic images, but it is sometimes difficult to differentiate them from cholangiocarcinoma. Given the poor prognosis of cholangiocarcinoma, a surgical approach can be considered when the diagnosis is uncertain. Herein, we report a case of portal biliopathy with bile ductal wall thickening, which was diagnosed after surgical resection was performed due to the presumed diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma.

Feasibility and safety of fertilitysparing surgery in epithelial ovarian cancer with dense adhesion: a longterm result from a single institution / 부인종양

Objective@#We investigated the feasibility and safety of fertility-sparing surgery (FSS) in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) with dense adhesions. @*Methods@#Patients were divided into cases with and without dense adhesions in this retrospective study. @*Results@#Of the 95 eligible patients, 29 patients had dense adhesions. Mean age, proportion of staging procedure, distribution of histologic type, and co-presence of endometriosis were different (p=0.003, 0.033, 0.011, and 0.011, respectively). The median follow-up period was 57.8 (0.4–230.0) months. There were no differences in the rates of recurrence (21.2% vs.20.7%, p=1.000) or death (16.7% vs. 6.9%, p=0.332) between the 2 groups. There was no difference in the pattern of recurrence or in disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) between the 2 groups. In multivariate analysis, pretreatment cancer antigen-125 >35 U/mL and International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage IC were significant factors of worse DFS and OS, while dense adhesion was not a prognostic factor for both DFS (hazard ratio [HR]=0.9; 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.3–2.7; p=0.792) and OS (HR=0.2; 95% CI=0.1–1.8; p=0.142), nor were age, proportion of staging procedure, histologic type, and co-presence of endometriosis. Moreover, the distribution of those 2 significant prognostic factors was not different between the 2 groups. Dense adhesions were subgrouped into nontumor and tumor associated dense adhesions for further analysis and the results were same. @*Conclusion@#FSS is feasible and safe in EOC, regardless of the presence of dense adhesions.

Feasibility and safety of fertilitysparing surgery in epithelial ovarian cancer with dense adhesion: a longterm result from a single institution / 부인종양

Objective@#We investigated the feasibility and safety of fertility-sparing surgery (FSS) in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) with dense adhesions. @*Methods@#Patients were divided into cases with and without dense adhesions in this retrospective study. @*Results@#Of the 95 eligible patients, 29 patients had dense adhesions. Mean age, proportion of staging procedure, distribution of histologic type, and co-presence of endometriosis were different (p=0.003, 0.033, 0.011, and 0.011, respectively). The median follow-up period was 57.8 (0.4–230.0) months. There were no differences in the rates of recurrence (21.2% vs.20.7%, p=1.000) or death (16.7% vs. 6.9%, p=0.332) between the 2 groups. There was no difference in the pattern of recurrence or in disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) between the 2 groups. In multivariate analysis, pretreatment cancer antigen-125 >35 U/mL and International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage IC were significant factors of worse DFS and OS, while dense adhesion was not a prognostic factor for both DFS (hazard ratio [HR]=0.9; 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.3–2.7; p=0.792) and OS (HR=0.2; 95% CI=0.1–1.8; p=0.142), nor were age, proportion of staging procedure, histologic type, and co-presence of endometriosis. Moreover, the distribution of those 2 significant prognostic factors was not different between the 2 groups. Dense adhesions were subgrouped into nontumor and tumor associated dense adhesions for further analysis and the results were same. @*Conclusion@#FSS is feasible and safe in EOC, regardless of the presence of dense adhesions.

A 2-Week Steroid Trial for Differentiating Isolated IgG4-Related Sclerosing Cholangitis from Cholangiocarcinoma / 대한췌담도학회지

Immunoglobulin G4-related sclerosing cholangitis (IgG4-SC) is rare disease which is steroid-responsive and often associated with IgG4 related systemic disease such as autoimmune pancreatitis. It is characterized by increased serum IgG4 and IgG4-positive lymphoplasmacytic infiltration in bile ducts. It is often difficult to distinguish IgG4-SC to hilar cholangiocarcinoma if it manifests as an isolated bile duct. We report a case of 79-year-old woman with IgG4-SC which was difficult to distinguish hilar cholangiocarcinoma due to similar clinical and radiologic findings, showing good therapeutic effect after a 2-week steroid trial.

A Case of Graves' Disease Accompanied with Acute Hepatitis A Virus Infection / 대한소화기학회지

Concurrent presentation of acute hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection and Graves' disease has not been reported in literature worldwide. Although there is no well-established mechanism that explains the induction of Graves' disease by HAV to date, our case suggests that HAV infection may be responsible for inducing Graves' disease. A healthy 27-year-old female presented fever, palpitation, and diarrhea, and she was subsequently diagnosed as acute HAV infection. Concurrently, she showed hyperthyroidism, and the diagnosis was made as Graves' disease. She had never had symptoms that suggested hyperthyroidism, and previous thyroid function test was normal. Acute HAV infection was recovered by conservative management, however, thyroid dysfunction was maintained even after normalization of liver enzymes. Methimazole was used to treat Graves' disease. We report a case of concurrent acute HAV infection and Graves' disease in a patient without preexisting thyroid disease. This suggests that HAV infection may be a trigger for an autoimmune thyroid disease in susceptible individuals.

Androgen receptor as a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target in uterine leiomyosarcoma / 부인종양

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of androgen receptor (AR) and its correlation with disease status and survival outcome in uterine leiomyosarcoma with other hormone receptors. METHODS: The medical records and paraffin blocks of 42 patients were reviewed. The immunohistochemical expression of AR, estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH), and cytochrome P450, family 19, subfamily A, polypeptide 1 (CYP19A1) were assessed using tissue microarray. RESULTS: In total, AR expression was observed in 11 patients (26.2%). International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage and AR were independent factors for disease-free survival (DFS) in multivariate regression analysis (odds ratio [OR]=5.8; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.2–28.4 and OR=0.2; 95% CI=0.05–0.90; p=0.029 and 0.032, respectively). There were no deaths in the AR expression group, whereas the 5-year overall survival (OS) was 54.8% in the no expression group (p=0.014). Co-expression of ER and/or PR with AR was associated with significantly better 5-year DFS and OS than those with negative AR (72.7% vs. 28.6% and 100% vs. 64.3%; p=0.020 and 0.036, respectively). AR may be an independent prognostic marker regardless of ER/PR. CONCLUSION: AR can be a potential prognostic biomarker in uterine leiomyosarcoma.

Erratum: Author correction

The Editorial Office of Obstet Gynecol Sci would like to correct the author list.

Comparing and evaluating the efficacy of methotrexate and actinomycin D as first-line single chemotherapy agents in low risk gestational trophoblastic disease / 부인종양

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare responses to single-agent chemotherapies and evaluate the predictive factors of resistance in low risk (LR) gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD). The chemotherapy agents included methotrexate (MTX) and actinomycin D (ACT-D). METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of 126 patients with GTD who were treated between 2000 and 2013. A total of 71 patients with LR GTD were treated with MTX (8-day regimen or weekly regimen, n=53) or ACT-D (bi-weekly pulsed regimen or 5-day regimen, n=18). The successful treatment group and the failed treatment group were compared and analyzed to identify prognostic factors. RESULTS: The complete response rates were 83.3% for ACT-D and 62.2% for MTX, with no statistically significant difference. There was no severe adverse effect reported for either group. Longer interval durations from the index pregnancy (>2 months, p=0.040) and larger tumor size (>3 cm, p=0.020) were more common in non-responders than in responders; these results were statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Based on our results, ACT-D may be a better option than MTX as a first-line single chemotherapy agent for LR GTD. The bi-weekly pulsed ACT-D regimen had minimal, or at least the same, toxicities compared with MTX. However, due to the lack of strong supporting evidence, it cannot be conclusively stated that this is the best single agent for first-line chemotherapy in LR GTD patients. Further larger controlled trials will be necessary to establish the best guidelines for GTD treatment.

Prognostic value of metabolic parameters determined by preoperative ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT in patients with uterine carcinosarcoma / 부인종양

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prognostic value of metabolic parameters measured by preoperative ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose (¹⁸F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) in patients with uterine carcinosarcoma (UCS). METHODS: Data of 55 eligible patients with UCS who underwent preoperative ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT and surgical staging were analyzed retrospectively. Maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), metabolic tumor volume (MTV₂.₅), and total lesion glycolysis (TLG₂.₅) of the primary tumors were measured using a SUV threshold of 2.5. The optimal cutoff value of each parameter was determined by time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curve, and its impact on progression-free survival and overall survival was evaluated by Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: During a median follow-up period of 29 (range, 1.5–109.4) months, 47.3% (26/55) of the patients experienced disease progression, and the disease-associated mortality rate was 43.6% (24/55). Univariate analysis determined that hazard ratios (HRs) for disease progression for SUVmax (≥8.33), MTV₂.₅ (≥63.92 mL), and TLG₂.₅ (≥396.16) were 1.930 (95% confidence interval [CI]=0.793–4.701), 3.264 (95% CI=1.466–7.268), and 2.692 (95% CI=1.224–5.924), respectively. And, HRs for death were 1.979 (95% CI=0.774–5.060), 2.764 (95% CI=1.217–6.274), and 2.721 (95% CI=1.198–6.182), respectively. While peritoneal cytology, histology, and tumor diameter were independent prognostic factors in multivariate analysis, MTV and TLG were not. CONCLUSION: Though MTV and TLG of primary UCS were not independent predictors compared to surgically obtained data, MTV and TLG of primary UCS may provide useful information on prognosis especially in patients who are not able to undergo surgical staging.

The efficacy and safety of pegylated liposomal doxorubicin monotherapy and combination therapy with carboplatin in Korean patients with recurrent ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer: a single-institution experience

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) with or without carboplatin in Korean patients with recurrent ovarian cancer (ROC), fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer. METHODS: This retrospective study included 52 patients with ROC, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer who received PLD (50 mg/m²) between 1(st) December 2014 and 31(th) July 2016. RESULTS: The mean number of chemotherapy cycles was 3.8 (range, 2 to 9) in the PLD monotherapy group and 7 (range, 2 to 13) in the PLD combined with carboplatin (PLD-C) group. In overall response rates and clinical beneficial rates, PLD monotherapy group shows 5.0% and 17.5%, and PLD-C group shows 33.3% and 75.0%. The mean progression-free survival (PFS) was 5 and 13 months in the PLD monotherapy and PLD-C groups, respectively. At 6 months after treatment initiation, absence of disease progression was confirmed in 6 (15%) and 10 (83.3%) patients in the PLD monotherapy and PLD-C groups. Hematological adverse events (e.g., neutropenia and thrombocytopenia) were more common in the PLD-C group (P<0.001, P=0.004). The incidence of anemia and non-hematological adverse events, including mucositis, hand-foot syndrome, and allergic reactions, was similar in both groups. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated the efficacy and safety of PLD monotherapy and PLD-C combination in Korean patients with ROC. This study would be helpful to consider the degree of worry about side effects and treatment expectations after treatment. Further retrospective studies with larger samples are required to confirm the efficacy of PLD monotherapy in Asian patients with platinum-resistant ROC.

Endoscopic Ultrasound-guided Drainage of Fluid Collection on Lesser Sac after Pancreaticoduodenectomy Not Accessible to Percutaneous Drainage / 대한췌담도학회지

Postoperative fluid collection is a major complication after pancreaticoduodenectomy and can lead to increased mortality and hospital length of stay. External drainage has widely been used for postoperative fluid collections. Recently, EUS-guided drainage has also been used successfully in treating postoperative fluid collections. A 60-year-old woman was admitted due to weight loss and jaundice. She underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy for cholangiocarcinoma of the common bile duct. After 2 weeks, she had fever with abdominal pain and leukocytosis. CT showed a increased fluid collection in superior recess of lesser sac and EUS-guided drainage was performed. The symptoms resolved without any complication after drainage. This is the first case report of EUS-guided drainage for lesser sac in Korea.

A Case of Pancreatic Cancer with Markedly Elevated Serum Immunoglobulin G4 / 대한췌담도학회지

Differential diagnosis between autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) and pancreatic cancer is often difficult due to similar clinical manifestations and radiological findings. Serum immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4) is a marker to differentiate AIP from pancreatic cancer. Although serum IgG4 can be elevated in 10% of patients with pancreatic cancer, most of serum IgG4 elevation in pancreatic cancer is limited within two times of upper normal limit. Herein, we report a case of pancreatic cancer with markedly elevated serum IgG4 over six times of upper normal limit that needed steroid trial to differentiate from AIP.

Effect of Training in Upper Endoscopic Biopsy

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The optimal number of biopsy samples and the detection rate of neoplastic lesions are not established. This study aimed to assess the current practice patterns and effects of training in upper endoscopic biopsy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From May through July 2013, all the biopsy-proven lesions detected during diagnostic esophagogastroduodenoscopy were enrolled in a single teaching hospital of Korea. Endoscopic findings, including number of biopsied samples, discrepancy rates between endoscopic and histologic diagnosis, and endoscopists' experience, were retrospectively assessed. RESULTS: A total of 1,208 biopsy-proven lesions were enrolled. 76 (6.3%) lesions were determined to be neoplastic. The neoplasm detection rate of trainees was lower than that of faculty doctors (4.6% vs. 7.7%; OR, 0.57; P=0.024). The number of biopsied samples was not different between trainees and faculty doctors, although faculty doctors tended to identify more neoplastic lesions. The concordance rates between endoscopic and histologic diagnosis were improved with training for both total and benign lesions, but there was no changes in concordance for neoplastic lesions. CONCLUSIONS: Training should be focused on detection of neoplastic lesions so as not to overlook these diseases.

Laparoendoscopic single-site versus conventional laparoscopic surgery for ovarian mature cystic teratoma

OBJECTIVE: To compare the intraoperative and postoperative outcomes of laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (LESS) versus conventional laparoscopic surgery in women with ovarian mature cystic teratoma. METHODS: A retrospective review of 303 women who underwent LESS (n=139) or conventional laparoscopic surgery (n=164) due to ovarian mature cystic teratoma was performed. Intra- and postoperative outcomes were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: There was no intergroup difference in age, body weight, height, body mass index, comorbidities, tumor size, bilaterality of tumor, or the type of surgery. However, more patients in the LESS group had a history of previous abdominal surgery (19.4% vs. 6.7%, P=0.001). Surgical outcomes including operating time (89 vs. 87.8 minutes, P=0.734), estimated blood loss (69.4 vs. 68.4 mL, P=0.842), transfusion requirement (2.2% vs. 0.6%, P=0.336), perioperative hemoglobin level change (1.3 vs. 1.2 g/dL, P=0.593), postoperative hospital stay (2.0 vs. 2.1 days, P=0.119), and complication rate (1.4% vs. 1.8%, P=0.999) did not differ between LESS and conventional groups. Postoperative pain scores measured using a visual analogue scale were significantly lower in the LESS group at 8 hours (P=0.021), 16 hours (P=0.034), and 32 hours (P=0.004) after surgery, and 32 of 139 patients (23%) in the LESS group and 78 of 164 patients (47.6%) in the conventional group required at least one additional analgesic (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: LESS was feasible and showed comparable surgical outcomes with conventional laparoscopic surgery for women with ovarian mature cystic teratoma. LESS was associated with less postoperative pain and required less analgesia.

Successful Treatment of Bleeding Duodenal Varix by Percutaneous Transsplenic Embolization / 대한소화기학회지

Variceal bleeding occurs primarily in the esophagus or stomach in patients with liver cirrhosis, but can also occur rarely in the duodenum. Duodenal variceal bleeding has a high mortality and poor prognosis due to heavy blood flow originating from the portal vein (PV) and the technical difficulty of hemostatic procedures. Treatments including endoscopic sclerotherapy, endoscopic ligations, endoscopic clipping and transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt have been tried, with only moderate and variable success. A percutaneous transsplenic approach offers another way of accessing the PV. Here we report a case of successfully treated duodenal variceal bleeding by percutaneous transsplenic embolization.

Diffuse Ganglioneuromatosis of the Colon Presenting as a Large Subepithelial Tumor in Adults: Report of Two Cases / 대한소화기학회지

Colonic diffuse ganglioneuromatosis is a benign neoplastic condition characterized by disseminated, intramural, or transmural proliferation of neural elements involving the enteric plexuses, sometimes associated with von Recklinghausen's disease and other multiple tumor syndromes. Colonic diffuse ganglioneuromatosis is usually large, ranging from 1 to 17 cm, and thus can distort the surrounding tissue architecture as well as infiltrate the adjacent bowel wall. However, colonic diffuse ganglioneuromatosis is an exceptional finding in adults and only individual cases are reported in the literature. Herein, we report two unusual cases of adult patients with colonic diffuse transmural ganglioneuromatosis presenting as a large subepithelial tumor.

Corrosive Esophagitis Caused by Ingestion of Picosulfate

Corrosive esophagitis is characterized by caustic injury due to the ingestion of chemical agents, mainly alkaline substances such as detergents. Esophageal bleeding, perforation, or stricture can be worsened by high-degree corrosive esophagitis. Picosulfate is a commonly used laxative frequently administered for bowel preparation before colonoscopy or colon surgery. Picosulfate powder should be completely dissolved in water before ingestion because the powder itself may cause chemical burning of the esophagus and stomach. Here, we report a case of corrosive esophagitis due to the ingestion of picosulfate powder that was not completely dissolved in water.

Idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome presenting with urinary frequency, abdominal pain, and diarrhea

Idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome (IHES) is a rare disorder defined by persistent blood eosinophilia, evidence of eosinophil-associated organ dysfunction and absence of secondary causes. Eosinophilic infiltration and its mediator release can cause damage to multiple organs. Although IHES can involve every organ system, bladder involvement is rarely evidenced. We recently reported a case of IHES with both bladder and gastrointestinal tract involvement. A 43-year-old woman visited Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital complaining of urinary frequency, abdominal pain, and diarrhea for several months. Abdominal pelvic computed tomographic scan showed diffuse wall thickenings in her bladder and colon with small pelvic ascites. Laboratory investigation showed a marked peripheral eosinophilia and tissue biopsies confirmed eosinophilic infiltration in the bladder wall, esophagus, and duodenum. The patient was treated with prednisolone and her eosinophilia and symptoms have gradually improved.

Reproductive outcomes after laparoscopic radical trachelectomy for early-stage cervical cancer / 부인종양

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to estimate the reproductive outcome of young women with early-stage cervical cancer who underwent fertility-sparing laparoscopic radical trachelectomy (LRT). METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of the medical records of patients with early-stage cervical cancer who underwent LRT. Clinicopathological data were obtained from patient medical records, and reproductive outcome data were obtained from patient medical records and telephone interviews. RESULTS: Fifty-five patients who underwent successful LRT were included in this study. The median age of patients was 32 years (range, 22 to 40 years), and the median follow-up time after LRT was 37 months (range, 3 to 105 months). Menstruation resumed in all patients after LRT, with fifty patients (90.9%) and five patients (9.1%) reporting regular and irregular menstruation, respectively. Six patients (10.9%) presented with cervical stenosis, which was manifested by regular but decreased menstrual flow and newly-developed dysmenorrhea. These patients underwent cervical cannulation and dilatation. Eighteen patients (32.7%) attempted to conceive, with six out of 18 patients receiving fertility treatments. Fourteen pregnancies (i.e., four missed abortions, six preterm births and four full-term births) occurred in 10 patients after LRT. Nine out of 10 patients gave birth to 10 healthy babies. The pregnancy rate after LRT was 55.6% (10/18). The spontaneous abortion rate and live birth rate were 28.6% (4/14) and 71.4% (10/14), respectively. The preterm birth rate was 60% (6/10). CONCLUSION: Pregnancy and live birth rates after LRT were promising; however, the preterm birth rate was relatively high. Cervical stenosis also occurred in a small percentage of patients.

Feasibility and Safety of Laparoscopic Surgery for Obese Korean Women with Endometrial Cancer: Long-Term Results at a Single Institution

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the surgical feasibility of and survival outcome after laparoscopy in obese Korean women with endometrial cancer which has recently been increasing. We reviewed the medical records of the patients treated at our medical institution between 1999 and 2012. The patients were divided into three groups, non-obese (Body Mass Index [BMI] or =28.0). These patient groups were compared in terms of their clinical characteristics, treatment methods, as well as surgical and survival outcomes. In total, 55 of the 278 eligible patients were obese women. There were no differences in the three groups in terms of the proportion of patients who underwent lymphadenectomy, their cancer stage, histologic type, type of adjuvant treatment administered, intra-, post-operative, and long-term complications, operative time, number of removed lymph nodes, blood loss, and duration of hospitalization (P=0.067, 0.435, 0.757, 0.739, 0.458, 0.173, 0.076, 0.124, 0.770, 0.739, and 0.831, respectively). The Disease-Free Survival (DFS) times were 139.1 vs. 121.6 vs. 135.5 months (P=0.313), and the Overall Survival (OS) times were 145.2 vs. 124.8 vs. 139.5 months (P=0.436) for each group, respectively. Obese women with endometrial cancer can, therefore, be as safely managed using laparoscopy as women with normal BMIs.