Combination Analysis of PCDHGA12and CDO1 DNA Methylation in Bronchial Washing Fluid for Lung Cancer Diagnosis

Background@#When suspicious lesions are observed on computer-tomography (CT), invasive tests are needed to confirm lung cancer. Compared with other procedures, bronchoscopy has fewer complications. However, the sensitivity of peripheral lesion through bronchoscopy including washing cytology is low. A new test with higher sensitivity through bronchoscopy is needed. In our previous study, DNA methylation of PCDHGA12 in bronchial washing cytology has a diagnostic value for lung cancer. In this study, combination of PCDHGA12 and CDO1 methylation obtained through bronchial washing cytology was evaluated as a diagnostic tool for lung cancer. @*Methods@#A total of 187 patients who had suspicious lesions in CT were enrolled. PCDHGA12methylation test, CDO1 methylation test, and cytological examination were performed using 3-plex LTE-qMSP test. @*Results@#Sixty-two patients were diagnosed with benign diseases and 125 patients were diagnosed with lung cancer. The sensitivity of PCDHGA12 was 74.4% and the specificity of PCDHGA12 was 91.9% respectively. CDO1 methylation test had a sensitivity of 57.6% and a specificity of 96.8%. The combination of both PCDHGA12 methylation test and CDO1 methylation test showed a sensitivity of 77.6% and a specificity of 90.3%. The sensitivity of lung cancer diagnosis was increased by combining both PCDHGA12 and CDO1 methylation tests. @*Conclusion@#Checking DNA methylation of both PCDHGA12 and CDO1 genes using bronchial washing fluid can reduce the invasive procedure to diagnose lung cancer.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Monogenic Hypertension in Children

Although the majority of individuals with hypertension (HTN) have primary and polygenic HTN, monogenic HTN is a secondary type that is widely thought to play a key role in pediatric HTN, which has the characteristics of early onset, refractory HTN with a positive family history, and electrolyte disorders. Monogenic HTN results from single genetic mutations that contribute to the dysregulation of blood pressure (BP) in the kidneys and adrenal glands. It is pathophysiologically associated with increased sodium reabsorption in the distal tubule, intravascular volume expansion, and HTN, as well as low renin and varying aldosterone levels. Simultaneously increased or decreased potassium levels also provide clues for the diagnosis of monogenic HTN. Discovering the genetic factors that cause an increase in BP has been shown to be related to the choice of and responses to antihypertensive medications. Therefore, early and precise diagnosis with genetic sequencing and effective treatment with accurate antihypertensive agents are critical in the management of monogenic HTN. In addition, understanding the genetic architecture of BP, causative molecular pathways perturbing BP regulation, and pharmacogenomics can help with the selection of precision and personalized medicine, as well as improve morbidity and mortality in adulthood.

Nutcracker syndrome in children: review of symptom, diagnosis, and treatment

Renal nutcracker syndrome (NCS) is the entrapment of the left renal vein between the abdominal aorta and superior mesenteric artery. Although uncommon in pediatric patients, early diagnosis is crucial to avoid potential severe complications, such as anemia or renal vein thrombosis. NCS presents a variety of symptoms, most commonly including “Triade’s symptoms”–hematuria, proteinuria, and flank pain. Diagnosis and treatment include invasive and noninvasive management, although due to a lack of pediatric clinical studies, management is widely variable. Conservative diagnosis and treatment are recommended as a firstline option for pediatric patients; however, invasive surgical treatment may be recommended based on symptom severity. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of NCS in children to better understand the widely variable incidence, occurrence, and management from early on to allow for early-onset management.

Distal Soft Tissue Procedure in Hallux Valgus Deformity:Comparison of Modified Mcbride Procedure and Trans-Articular Approach / 대한족부족관절학회지

Purpose@#“Hallux valgus” is a common disease encountered in clinical practice and is accompanied by foot deformities. Conservative treatment is commonly used in the early stages of hallux valgus. On the other hand, surgical treatment often becomes necessary as the deformity progresses. Surgical treatments involve various osteotomy methods or joint fusion procedures combined with soft tissue release, and outcomes from these surgical treatments are generally favorable. This study compared two soft tissue release techniques in the hallux region. @*Materials and Methods@#This study conducted a retrospective cohort study on 48 participants who underwent surgical treatment for hallux valgus at a single institution from March 1, 2018, to March 31, 2023. A scarf osteotomy was performed in all cases, and the “Modified Mcbride procedure” or “Trans-articular approach” was done for soft tissue release. Hallux valgus angle (HVA), intermetatarsal angle (IMA), and the degree of subluxation of the lateral sesamoid were measured through simple foot radiographs taken before surgery and one year after surgery. @*Results@#In the Modified Mcbride procedure group, HVA, IMA, and the sesamoid position grade decreased from 34.94º to 9.98º, 15.64º to 5.44º, and 2.47 to 0.44, respectively. In the trans-articular approach group, HVA, IMA, and the sesamoid position grade decreased from 33.42º to 7.34º, 15.06º to 6.03º, and 2.17 to 0.58, respectively. There was no significant difference in these changes between the preoperative and one-year postoperative measurements for both techniques (p-value>0.05). @*Conclusion@#A radiological assessment of soft tissue release through the Modified Mcbride procedure and trans-articular approach in hallux valgus did not show significant differences. Therefore, both surgical techniques can be considered in the distal soft tissue release for a hallux valgus correction.

Self-Injurious Behavior Rate in the Short-Term Period of the COVID-19Pandemic in Korea

Background@#The objective of this study was to investigate the trend of self-injurious behavior (SIB) among persons who were directly impacted by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), especially those with pre-existing mental disorders. @*Methods@#Using the National Health Insurance Service-COVID-19 database cohort, the monthly SIB rate was calculated by COVID-19 subgroups (i.e., positive for COVID-19 test, negative for COVID-19 test, and non-COVID-19 test [control]). In addition, moderated regression analysis was utilized to examine the statistical difference of SIB (suicide attempt and non-suicidal self-injury using ICD-10 code) trend between COVID-19 subgroups and with and without pre-existing mental disorder. @*Results@#A total of 328,373 persons were included in the cohort study. Of these, 212,678 had been tested for COVID-19, and 7,713 of them were confirmed positive. During the pandemic peak, the “negative for COVID-19” group showed a large increase (P = 0.003) in SIB rates compared to the control group, the “positive for COVID-19” group showed a decreasing trend, but not significant (P = 0.314). Among those who were tested for COVID-19, those with pre-existing mental disorders showed an increasing trend of SIB compared to those without pre-existing mental disorders, however statistically insignificant (P= 0.137). @*Conclusion@#Our results suggest that people who are tested for COVID-19 are at a high risk of SIB during the peak COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, screening for suicide risk and psychological interventions is needed for these high-risk groups.

Effectiveness of Online Video Instruction on Time to Start Ambulation and Duration of Hospital Stay, Satisfaction and Functional Recovery in Patients Undergoing Total Hip Arthroplasty

Background@#At the end of 2014, we implemented an online video to inform patients of the entire process from admission to rehabilitation after total hip arthroplasty (THA). In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of online video instruction in THA patients. @*Methods@#Electronic medical records of 184 patients undergoing THA in 2014 (pre-video group) and 182 patients in 2015 (post-video group) were reviewed. We compared 1) the time to start wheelchair ambulation, 2) walker or crutch ambulation, 3) the length of hospital stay, 4) postoperative satisfaction using visual analogue scale (0–10 points), and 5) modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS) at postoperative 6 weeks. @*Results@#In the post-video group, the time to start wheelchair ambulation (1.8 ± 0.6 vs. 2.4 ± 3.2 days, P = 0.021) and walker/crutch ambulation were faster (2.9 ± 1.2 vs. 3.8 ± 1.0 days, P = 0.016), and the hospital stay was shorter (8.2 ± 4.7 vs. 9.9 ± 7.8 days, P = 0.001) compared to the pre-video group. The visual analogue scale for satisfaction (7.84 ± 1.62 vs. 7.68 ± 1.85 points) and mHHS (89.59 ± 9.47 vs. 89.58 ± 8.59) were similar. @*Conclusion@#Online video instruction is an effective tool to expedite ambulation and reduce the hospital stay without compromising the clinical outcome and postoperative complications after THA.

Acute dural venous sinus thrombosis in a child with idiopathic steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome: a case report

Nephrotic syndrome (NS) is a hypercoagulable state in which children are at risk of venous thromboembolism. A higher risk has been reported in children with steroid-resistant NS than in those with steroid-sensitive NS. The mortality rate of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) is approximately 10% and generally results from cerebral herniation in the acute phase and an underlying disorder in the chronic phase. Our patient initially manifested as a child with massive proteinuria and generalized edema. He was treated with albumin replacement and diuretics, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, and deflazacort. Non-contrast computed tomography showed areas of hyperattenuation in the superior sagittal sinus when he complained of severe headache and vomiting. Subsequent magnetic resonance imaging revealed empty delta signs in the superior sagittal, lateral transverse, and sigmoid sinuses, suggesting acute CVST. Immediate anticoagulation therapy was started with unfractionated heparin, antithrombin III replacement, and continuous antiproteinuric treatment. The current report describes a life-threatening CVST in a child with steroid-dependent NS, initially diagnosed by contrast non-enhanced computed tomography and subsequently confirmed by contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging, followed by magnetic resonance venography for recanalization, addressing successful treatment.

Factors Influencing Oncology Nurses’ Pain Management of Cancer Patients

Purpose@#The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors influencing oncology unit nurses’ pain management of cancer patients. @*Methods@#This study was a designed descriptive correlation study. The participants of this study were nurses working in an oncology unit at a university hospital. A total of 135 nurses participated and data were collected between October 10 and October 31, 2018. Measures used for this study assessed nurses’ knowledge of cancer pain management, compassion competence, and the performance of cancer pain management. The data were analyzed using independent t-test, ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, and multiple linear regression analysis. @*Results@#Performance of cancer pain management was significantly correlated with compassion competence (r=0.37, p<.001) and difference according to the experience of cancer by the participants or family members (t=2.22, p=.028). Performance of cancer pain management was influenced by compassion competence (β=.36,p<.001) and the experience of cancer by the participants or family members (β=.17, p=.041). The explanatory power of this model was 14.4%. @*Conclusion@#These results suggest the need for cancer pain management education based on compassion empowerment. The findings shows that continuous cancer pain management education is required in consideration of the oncology nurses’ career and work characteristics.

Comparative Analysis of American Academy of Pediatrics and European Society of Hypertension Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Pediatric Hypertension

Childhood hypertension (HTN) has become a significant public health issue because of the increased risk of cardiovascular disease in adulthood. However, childhood HTN is underrecognized and underdiagnosed in clinical practice. The European Society of Hypertension in 2016 and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) in 2017 published updated guidelines for the screening, prevention, and management of pediatric HTN. There were notable differences between the two guidelines as well as many similarities. The updated AAP guidelines have clarified and simplified the recommendations for screening, diagnosis, and treatment of childhood HTN based on current evidence. This review highlights the important developments in both guidelines, focusing on recent advances in the classification and treatment of childhood HTN.

Application of convolutional neural networks for distal radio-ulnar fracture detection on plain radiographs in the emergency room

Objective@#Recent studies have suggested that deep-learning models can satisfactorily assist in fracture diagnosis. We aimed to evaluate the performance of two of such models in wrist fracture detection. @*Methods@#We collected image data of patients who visited with wrist trauma at the emergency department. A dataset extracted from January 2018 to May 2020 was split into training (90%) and test (10%) datasets, and two types of convolutional neural networks (i.e., DenseNet-161 and ResNet-152) were trained to detect wrist fractures. Gradient-weighted class activation mapping was used to highlight the regions of radiograph scans that contributed to the decision of the model. Performance of the convolutional neural network models was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. @*Results@#For model training, we used 4,551 radiographs from 798 patients and 4,443 radiographs from 1,481 patients with and without fractures, respectively. The remaining 10% (300 radiographs from 100 patients with fractures and 690 radiographs from 230 patients without fractures) was used as a test dataset. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of DenseNet-161 and ResNet-152 in the test dataset were 90.3%, 90.3%, 80.3%, 95.6%, and 90.3% and 88.6%, 88.4%, 76.9%, 94.7%, and 88.5%, respectively. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curves of DenseNet-161 and ResNet-152 for wrist fracture detection were 0.962 and 0.947, respectively. @*Conclusion@#We demonstrated that DenseNet-161 and ResNet-152 models could help detect wrist fractures in the emergency room with satisfactory performance.

Increased Expression of S100B and RAGE in a Mouse Model of Bile Duct Ligation-induced Liver Fibrosis

Background@#Liver fibrosis is defined as the accumulation of the extracellular matrix and scar formation. The receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) has been demonstrated to participate in fibrogenesis. S100B is a ligand of RAGE and exerts extracellular functions by inducing a series of signal transduction cascades. However, the involvement of S100B and RAGE in cholestasis-induced liver fibrosis remains unclear. In this study, we investigated S100B and RAGE expression during liver fibrosis in mice that underwent common bile duct ligation (BDL). @*Methods@#BDL was performed in 10-week-old male C57BL/6J mice with sham control (n = 26) and BDL (n = 26) groups. Expression levels of S100B, RAGE and fibrotic markers in the livers from both groups at week 1 and 3 after BDL were examined by western blot and quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis. Liver fibrotic changes were examined by histological and ultrastructural analysis. @*Results@#Histological staining with Sirius Red and the evaluation of the messenger RNA expression of fibrotic markers showed noticeable periportal fibrosis and bile duct proliferation. S100B was mainly present in bile duct epithelial cells, and its expression was upregulated in proportion to the ductular reaction during fibrogenesis by BDL. RAGE expression was also increased, and interestingly, triple immunofluorescence staining and transmission electron microscopy showed that both S100B and RAGE were expressed in proliferating bile duct epithelial cells and activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) of the BDL livers. In addition, in rat HSCs (HSC-T6), treatment with recombinant S100B protein significantly increased fibrotic markers in a dose-dependent manner, and RAGE small interfering RNA (siRNA) suppressed S100B-stimulated upregulation of fibrotic markers compared with cells treated with scramble siRNA and S100B. @*Conclusion@#These findings suggest that the increased expression of S100B and RAGE and the interaction between S100B and RAGE may play an important role in ductular reaction and liver fibrosis induced by BDL.

Clinical analysis of hospitalized patients with hemophilia A:single-hemophilia treatment center experience in Korea over 10 years

Background@#There is lack of data on admitted hemophilia patients in Korea. For this reason, this study was intended to analyze the hospitalization data of hemophilia patients in a regional Hemophilia Treatment Center (HTC) for the first time in Korea. @*Methods@#In this retrospective study, we surveyed hospitalized patients with Hemophilia A (HA) in a HTC for 14 years. Medical records of these hemophiliacs were reviewed and data regarding demographic characteristics, cause of admissions and their outcomes in each patient were obtained. In addition, the data of admitted days, type and amount of Coagulation factor concentrate (CFC) used, treatments other than CFC infusion during the admission days were also obtained from the medical record of each patient. @*Results@#A total 107 patients with hemophilia A were admitted during 14 years. Annual rate of admission of patients with HA was 8%. Mean age on admission was 29.63±19.51 years old and mean admission days were 11.28±5.46 days. Most admissions were occurred in severe and moderate hemophilia patients. The most common cause of admission was bleed control followed by surgery and other reasons. With modified WFH CFC supplementation guideline, all the bleeds were successfully controlled and all surgeries were also successfully conducted with less total CFC consumption compared to the consumed dose of other reports. @*Conclusion@#These results suggest that it is necessary to develop more specified regimens different from WFH.

Application of convolutional neural networks for distal radio-ulnar fracture detection on plain radiographs in the emergency room

Objective@#Recent studies have suggested that deep-learning models can satisfactorily assist in fracture diagnosis. We aimed to evaluate the performance of two of such models in wrist fracture detection. @*Methods@#We collected image data of patients who visited with wrist trauma at the emergency department. A dataset extracted from January 2018 to May 2020 was split into training (90%) and test (10%) datasets, and two types of convolutional neural networks (i.e., DenseNet-161 and ResNet-152) were trained to detect wrist fractures. Gradient-weighted class activation mapping was used to highlight the regions of radiograph scans that contributed to the decision of the model. Performance of the convolutional neural network models was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. @*Results@#For model training, we used 4,551 radiographs from 798 patients and 4,443 radiographs from 1,481 patients with and without fractures, respectively. The remaining 10% (300 radiographs from 100 patients with fractures and 690 radiographs from 230 patients without fractures) was used as a test dataset. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of DenseNet-161 and ResNet-152 in the test dataset were 90.3%, 90.3%, 80.3%, 95.6%, and 90.3% and 88.6%, 88.4%, 76.9%, 94.7%, and 88.5%, respectively. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curves of DenseNet-161 and ResNet-152 for wrist fracture detection were 0.962 and 0.947, respectively. @*Conclusion@#We demonstrated that DenseNet-161 and ResNet-152 models could help detect wrist fractures in the emergency room with satisfactory performance.

Increased Expression of S100B and RAGE in a Mouse Model of Bile Duct Ligation-induced Liver Fibrosis

Background@#Liver fibrosis is defined as the accumulation of the extracellular matrix and scar formation. The receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) has been demonstrated to participate in fibrogenesis. S100B is a ligand of RAGE and exerts extracellular functions by inducing a series of signal transduction cascades. However, the involvement of S100B and RAGE in cholestasis-induced liver fibrosis remains unclear. In this study, we investigated S100B and RAGE expression during liver fibrosis in mice that underwent common bile duct ligation (BDL). @*Methods@#BDL was performed in 10-week-old male C57BL/6J mice with sham control (n = 26) and BDL (n = 26) groups. Expression levels of S100B, RAGE and fibrotic markers in the livers from both groups at week 1 and 3 after BDL were examined by western blot and quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis. Liver fibrotic changes were examined by histological and ultrastructural analysis. @*Results@#Histological staining with Sirius Red and the evaluation of the messenger RNA expression of fibrotic markers showed noticeable periportal fibrosis and bile duct proliferation. S100B was mainly present in bile duct epithelial cells, and its expression was upregulated in proportion to the ductular reaction during fibrogenesis by BDL. RAGE expression was also increased, and interestingly, triple immunofluorescence staining and transmission electron microscopy showed that both S100B and RAGE were expressed in proliferating bile duct epithelial cells and activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) of the BDL livers. In addition, in rat HSCs (HSC-T6), treatment with recombinant S100B protein significantly increased fibrotic markers in a dose-dependent manner, and RAGE small interfering RNA (siRNA) suppressed S100B-stimulated upregulation of fibrotic markers compared with cells treated with scramble siRNA and S100B. @*Conclusion@#These findings suggest that the increased expression of S100B and RAGE and the interaction between S100B and RAGE may play an important role in ductular reaction and liver fibrosis induced by BDL.

Clinical analysis of hospitalized patients with hemophilia A:single-hemophilia treatment center experience in Korea over 10 years

Background@#There is lack of data on admitted hemophilia patients in Korea. For this reason, this study was intended to analyze the hospitalization data of hemophilia patients in a regional Hemophilia Treatment Center (HTC) for the first time in Korea. @*Methods@#In this retrospective study, we surveyed hospitalized patients with Hemophilia A (HA) in a HTC for 14 years. Medical records of these hemophiliacs were reviewed and data regarding demographic characteristics, cause of admissions and their outcomes in each patient were obtained. In addition, the data of admitted days, type and amount of Coagulation factor concentrate (CFC) used, treatments other than CFC infusion during the admission days were also obtained from the medical record of each patient. @*Results@#A total 107 patients with hemophilia A were admitted during 14 years. Annual rate of admission of patients with HA was 8%. Mean age on admission was 29.63±19.51 years old and mean admission days were 11.28±5.46 days. Most admissions were occurred in severe and moderate hemophilia patients. The most common cause of admission was bleed control followed by surgery and other reasons. With modified WFH CFC supplementation guideline, all the bleeds were successfully controlled and all surgeries were also successfully conducted with less total CFC consumption compared to the consumed dose of other reports. @*Conclusion@#These results suggest that it is necessary to develop more specified regimens different from WFH.

Opioids and Antidepressants for Pain Control in Musculoskeletal Disease / 대한정형외과학회잡지

The progression of aging and the increase in musculoskeletal diseases have led to an increase in invasive treatment methods, including various surgical methods, but conservative treatment should be attempted before surgical treatment in musculoskeletal diseases. Medication for pain control, such as acetaminophen, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, steroid, opioids, antidepressants, etc., is one of the most popular methods for pain control. If the pain receptors on peripheral organ are stimulated, pain is transmitted to the brain by the ascending pathway, and the brain then secretes endogenous opioids, such as endorphin, by the descending pathway for pain control. Opioids are substances that act on the opioid receptors, and there are three receptors for opioids. The affinity for each receptor varies according to the tissue and the patient's systemic status. Antidepressants work on the synapses in the central nervous system and its main mechanism is regulation of the ascending pathway. This is mainly effective in chronic pain and neuropathic pain, which is similar in effectiveness to opioids. This review focuses on the effectiveness, method of use, and side effects of opioids and antidepressants.

The effect of bisphosphonate discontinuation on the incidence of postoperative medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw after tooth extraction

OBJECTIVES@#The discontinuation of bisphosphonate (BP) treatment before tooth extraction may induce medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ). Whether the long-term discontinuation of BP treatment before tooth extraction affects the risk of developing MRONJ after tooth extraction or whether extended drug holidays induce systemic side effects remains unclear. The present study assessed the incidence of MRONJ among patients who underwent tooth extraction and did not discontinue BP therapy prior to the procedure.@*MATERIALS AND METHODS@#Patients were classified according to whether or not they discontinued BP therapy before tooth extraction. Differences in the incidence of MRONJ after tooth extraction were compared between the two groups using the chi-squared test.@*RESULTS@#The BP-continuation (BPC) and BP-discontinuation (BPDC) groups included 179 and 286 patients, respectively. One patient in the BPC group and no patients in the BPDC group developed MRONJ (P=0.385). The patients in the BPDC group stopped receiving BP therapy at a mean of 39.0±35.5 months prior to tooth extraction.@*CONCLUSION@#The possibility of pre-existing MRONJ in the extraction area must be considered during the extraction procedure. Routine discontinuation of BP medications for several months before the extraction procedure should be carefully considered, as evidence of its efficacy in reducing the development of post-extraction MRONJ is limited.

The effect of bisphosphonate discontinuation on the incidence of postoperative medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw after tooth extraction

OBJECTIVES@#The discontinuation of bisphosphonate (BP) treatment before tooth extraction may induce medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ). Whether the long-term discontinuation of BP treatment before tooth extraction affects the risk of developing MRONJ after tooth extraction or whether extended drug holidays induce systemic side effects remains unclear. The present study assessed the incidence of MRONJ among patients who underwent tooth extraction and did not discontinue BP therapy prior to the procedure.@*MATERIALS AND METHODS@#Patients were classified according to whether or not they discontinued BP therapy before tooth extraction. Differences in the incidence of MRONJ after tooth extraction were compared between the two groups using the chi-squared test.@*RESULTS@#The BP-continuation (BPC) and BP-discontinuation (BPDC) groups included 179 and 286 patients, respectively. One patient in the BPC group and no patients in the BPDC group developed MRONJ (P=0.385). The patients in the BPDC group stopped receiving BP therapy at a mean of 39.0±35.5 months prior to tooth extraction.@*CONCLUSION@#The possibility of pre-existing MRONJ in the extraction area must be considered during the extraction procedure. Routine discontinuation of BP medications for several months before the extraction procedure should be carefully considered, as evidence of its efficacy in reducing the development of post-extraction MRONJ is limited.

Successful Treatment of Duodenal Variceal Bleeding with Coil-Assisted Retrograde Transvenous Obliteration: A Case Report

Duodenal varices can develop in patients with portal hypertension secondary to liver cirrhosis. Although upper gastrointestinal bleeding is often severe and fatal, the definite treatment or guideline has not been established. Although endoscopy is the primary therapeutic modality, the use of radiologic interventions, such as transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt, balloon or vascular plug-assisted retrograde transvenous obliteration, and percutaneous transhepatic variceal obliteration, can be considered alternative treatment methods for duodenal varices. Herein, we report a case of duodenal varix in a patient with poor hepatic functional reserve and vascular anatomy, which are contraindications for an occlusion balloon or a vascular plug, successfully treated with coil-assisted retrograde transvenous obliteration.

Transcatheter Arterial Embolization of a Ruptured Superior Rectal Artery Aneurysm in Type 1 Neurofibromatosis: A Case Report

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a common autosomal-dominant disorder. Vasculopathies associated with NF1 are rare and can cause aneurysms, stenoses, and arteriovenous malformations. Aneurysms may rupture spontaneously, which could be fatal. Spontaneous mesenteric hemorrhage due to rupture of an inferior mesenteric artery aneurysm associated with NF1 has rarely been reported. Herein, we report a case of spontaneous rupture of a fusiform aneurysm in the superior rectal artery in a 56-year-old woman with NF1 who was successfully treated with transcatheter arterial embolization.