A Case of a gastropancreatic fistula in the setting of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms.

Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMN) are mucin producing tumors which arise from epithelial cells of the main pancreatic duct, pancreatic branch ducts, or both. They are characterized by mucin-producing columnar cells, papillary ductal proliferation, cyst formation, and varying degrees of dysplasia. IPMNs are classified as main duct or branch duct based upon the pancreatic duct anatomy which the IPMN is arising from. Additionally, they can be classified based on their histologic subtypes, which carry varying associations with dysplasia and/or malignancy. Many patients have incidentally identified IPMNs, which are asymptomatic. However, patients may also present with pancreatitis, elevation of liver enzymes, dilation of the pancreatic duct or bile duct as well as distention of the ampullary pancreatic orifice(s), due to impaction and obstruction with mucus. This is known as an endoscopically visualized "fish eye" sign. Patients may also develop exocrine and endocrine pancreatic insufficiency and maldigestion. Some studies also suggest that patients with IPMNs may also be at increased risk for gastric, colorectal, biliary, renal cell, and thyroid malignancies. Rarely, IPMNs can be complicated by fistulation between the main pancreatic duct and neighboring organs. Herein, we present an unusual case of simultaneous fistulation to both the gastric body and the duodenum.

Epidemiological, Clinical, Microbiological, and Risk Factors of Pyogenic Liver Abscess: An 18-years Retrospective Single-Center Analysis.

Background: A pyogenic liver abscess (PLA) is the most frequently observed subtype of liver abscess in the western world. The disease has been subjected to a remarkable change. We aimed to investigate the recent trend in pyogenic liver abscess's epidemiology, clinical, microbiological, and risk factors features.Methods: A retrospective analysis of medical records was done for the patients diagnosed with PLA from January 2000 to June 2018. The institutional review board approved the study.Results: We identified 113 patients with PLA, 60% were males, with a mean age of 54 ± 20 years, and 58 ± 19 years old for males and females, respectively (p = 0.298), with an increasing annual incidence in 2012-2013, and 2016-2017 (Figure 1). Fever and right upper quadrant abdominal pain were the most common symptoms (65%, 55%, respectively). Forty percent of the patients had Biliary tract diseases like cholecystitis or biliary intervention as cholecystectomy or ERCP, and 20% had diabetes mellitus (Table 1). The abscess culture was obtained in 96 cases, 37 cases were negative (39%), 27 cases showed polymicrobial growth (28%) and 15 cases showed Escherichia coli (16%) (Figure 2). The abscess cultures were mostly negative in the first 5 years, then changed to Streptococcus anginosus, and polymicrobial growth in the last four years.Conclusions: PLA is more common in males with a recent increase in incidence. Culture negative PLA was observed in patients who were empirically treated with antibiotics. Polymicrobial was the most common identifiable organism with a change in the microbiological trend every 5 years.

Interstitial lung disease in dermatomyositis complicated by right ventricular thrombus secondary to macrophage activation syndrome- a case report.

The course of dermatomyositis (DM) can be complicated by multi-organ failure, by complex pathophysiological mechanisms involving autoantibodies. Pulmonary complications are the leading cause of mortality, accounting for 30% of deaths. There is a strong association between DM and interstitial lung disease (ILD); clinically amyopathic dermatomyositis (CADM) has a stronger association with ILD as compared to a classic form of DM. ILD can be in the form of fibrosing alveolitis, interstitial pneumonia, and desquamative interstitial pneumonia or diffuse alveolar hemorrhage. Autoantibodies linked to ILD are anti Jo-1, PL12, PL7, EJ, and OJ and anti Mi 2. Our case describes a fifty-three years old woman who presented with symptoms of lower respiratory tract infection, diagnosed with CADM based on typical skin rash and polyarthritis and anti-CADM 140 antibodies. Systemic steroid therapy (initiated after ruling out sepsis) failed to provide improvement. The medical course was complicated by multisystem involvement (respiratory failure, cerebral edema, renal failure, coagulopathy, hepatic failure, and thromboembolism). Transthoracic echocardiogram revealed thrombus in the right ventricle, which was the result of the prothrombotic state, and the patient expired on day tenth of hospitalization. Our case describes a unique case of right ventricular thrombosis secondary to macrophage activation syndrome (MAS).

Hybrid Argon Plasma Coagulation for Treatment of Gastric Intestinal Metaplasia.

Hybrid argon plasma coagulation (HybridAPC® [HAPC]) is an evolution of the standard argon plasma coagulation (APC) technology, where the application of APC is preceded by high-pressure needleless submucosal injection. APC is indicated for the ablation of benign and dysplastic mucosal lesions, such as vascular malformations or Barrett's mucosa. HAPC offers safety and efficacy advantages over standard APC because the submucosal injection acts as a heat sink that disperses energy. This ensures that the underlying muscularis propria remains unaffected, and only the mucosal layer is coagulated in its entirety. An 81-year-old Hispanic male was found to have a 1.2-cm mucosal nodule along the incisura of the stomach. Pathology of the biopsy specimen revealed high-grade dysplasia, and he subsequently underwent endoscopic ultrasound examination, which confirmed the presence of an isolated gastric nodule with no deep invasion of the muscularis propria, consistent with a uT1N0Mx endosonographic staging. He then underwent endoscopic submucosal dissection of the lesion. Pathology of the excised specimen confirmed the presence of multifocal high-grade dysplasia, arising in the background of extensive intestinal metaplasia. The deep margin was clear; however, the lateral resection margins showed focal involvement of intestinal metaplasia with low-grade dysplasia. Surveillance endoscopy confirmed the persistence of diffuse intestinal metaplasia. He was then treated with widespread HAPC due to the presence of underlying diffuse intestinal metaplasia in the stomach. HAPC is an effective and efficient treatment modality for mucosal lesions. In one series of 50 patients, 96% achieved complete macroscopic remission of Barrett's mucosa after a median of 3.5 APC sessions, and 85% achieved complete histological remission. HAPC is a promising therapeutic modality as a thermal injury is targeted, and the depth of injury is contained. This provides immediate procedural efficacy and safety benefits, and reduces subsequent complications when compared with standard APC. We anticipate that the applications of HAPC will continue to grow, as this modality is adopted into common procedural parlance. This case appears to be the first to describe the use of HAPC for definitive treatment of diffuse intestinal metaplasia.

A Rare Case of Cerebral Amyloidoma Mimicking a Hemorrhagic Malignant Central Nervous System Neoplasm.

Cerebral amyloidoma is a rare form of amyloidosis with a localized tumor like an amyloid deposition in the brain composed of insoluble fibrillary protein with cross beta-sheet conformation. Its usual presentation includes vision loss, seizures, behavioral changes, cognitive decline, and recurrent headaches. It has a benign course with a slow progression, and it is not associated with dissemination. We report a case of a 65-year-old Caucasian woman who presented with symptoms of progressively worsening cognitive dysfunction of six months' duration. From CT of the brain, it was found that she had a right frontal and left parietal hemorrhagic mass with a large amount of vasogenic edema and a midline shift. MRI showed heterogeneously enhancing hemorrhagic mass of 5.2 cm x 2.6 cm x 3.6 cm in size, with a satellite lesion. Initially, this was suspected to be a high-grade glioma vs. metastatic hemorrhagic lesions. She underwent stereotactic biopsy of the mass, and histopathology was consistent with cerebral amyloidoma with marked IgA lambda plasma cell differentiation. She did not have any evidence of systemic amyloidosis, and therefore, she is being clinically observed with a regular follow-up and annual CT surveillance. She has remained stable over the past two years, although she has residual cognitive dysfunction. Cerebral amyloidoma can mimic malignant central nervous system (CNS) neoplasms and should be considered as a differential of any single or multiple mass lesions occurring in the white matter region of the brain with a characteristic appearance of "hyperdense lesions" on CT. It is a benign disease with no metastatic potential that usually resolves entirely after resection.

Acute Pancreatitis Caused by Complications of Influenza A in the Setting of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia.

Although most cases of acute pancreatitis are attributed to alcohol and gallstones, acute pancreatitis can be a presenting feature or complication of a viral etiology (influenza). We report a rare case of acute pancreatitis secondary to H1N1 influenza A virus in the setting of chronic lymphocytic leukemia. The typical flu-like respiratory illness usually observed with influenza was absent preceding the episode of pancreatitis owing to the different antigenic properties of influenza A (compared to influenza B) and an underlying immunocompromised state.

Unusual Presentation of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Colitis Complicated with Acute Appendicitis.

Clostridium difficile colitis has been the most recognized bacterial enterocolitis for years and other bacteria such as Staphylococcus colitis has been relegated. Staphylococcus enterocolitis following antibiotics had been one of the most frequent complications in surgical patients in the 1950s and 1960s and now reappear with more resistance such as methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus(MRSA) colitis which brings a new challenge. A 32-year-old Hispanic female with a history of type I diabetes mellitus presenting with altered sensorium and a 2-day history of watery, nonbloody diarrhea, intractable emesis, and diffuse crampy abdominal pain. About a month before the presentation, the patient had a soft-tissue laceration on the left foot requiring a 7-day course of cephalexin and clindamycin that healed appropriately. On physical examination, she was tachycardic with heart rate of 110 bpm and tachypneic with respiratory rate of 28, somnolent but arousable with the Glasgow Coma Scale >12. The abdomen was soft, tender diffusely to palpation without rebound or guarding. On the biochemical analysis, her blood glucose was 968 mg/dL with anion gap metabolic acidosis (AG 46). In the intensive care unit, she initiated on intravenous (IV) fluids, insulin, and IV antibiotics for suspicion of colitis. Clostridium difficile testing was negative, but stool cultures grew MRSA for which she was started on vancomycin and TMP-SMX. Due to continued abdominal pain on antibiotics, computed tomography of the abdomen with contrast showed acute appendicitis with inflammatory debris and without perforation or abscess requiring laparoscopic appendectomy. Our case presented with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), which complicates the etiology of abdominal pain on admission for the clinician masking-MRSA colitis associated with a rare complication of appendicitis double challenge and difficult to diagnose as most DKA patients present with abdominal pain. This is the first case report describing MRSA enterocolitis in patient with DKA complicated by acute appendicitis.

Cap-Assisted Endoscopic Mucosal Resection of an Incidental Rectal Traumatic Neuroma.

A traumatic neuroma is a well-known complication after acute trauma to a peripheral nerve; the nerve tries to re-establish continuity by an orderly growth of axons from the peripheral to distal stump through the proliferation of Schwann cells. However, this process is not always perfect, and aberrant repair gives rise to a neuroma. We present a 50-year-old female who underwent an initial colonoscopy for change in bowel habits and was found to have a 7 mm submucosal lesion in the proximal rectum. Endoscopic ultrasound was done which showed a hypoechoic lesion in the submucosal plane without muscularis propria invasion. The patient underwent successful cap-assisted endoscopic mucosal resection of the lesion without complication. Pathology of the specimen revealed a traumatic rectal neuroma with immunostaining positive for S100. However, this patient did not have any known risk factors such as previous surgery including polypectomy or hemorrhoidectomy or any previous rectal manipulation. Interestingly, this is the second case of traumatic rectal neuroma reported in the English-language literature.

Endoscopic Mucosal Resection of a Proximal Esophageal Pyogenic Granuloma.

Pyogenic Granuloma (PG), also known as lobular capillary hemangioma, is usually seen as a polypoid red lesion found on the skin or the mucosal surface of the oral cavity. PG of the gastrointestinal tract is rare, in particular involving the esophagus, only 14 cases have been reported in the English literature. We present an 80-year-old male who underwent endoscopy for evaluation of dysphagia and was found to have a single, red, bilobed 10 mm polyp with adherent white exudate approximately 19 cm from the incisors. Endoscopic ultrasound was performed with a 20 mHz miniprobe which showed the lesion contained to the mucosal layer with no muscularis propria invasion. A decision was made to perform endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR). A mixture of saline and methylene blue was injected into the submucosal plane to raise the lesion with subsequent successful mucosal hot snare resection. The resection defect was then approximated and closed with a hemostatic clip to prevent bleeding. Pathology of the specimen revealed small capillary vessels growing in a lobular architecture with an edematous stroma and a florid inflammatory infiltrate representing a pyogenic granuloma. EMR allows for an en bloc resection of mucosal lesions with tumor-free margins, thereby providing both diagnostic and prognostic information. Comparing EMR with the novel technique of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), the incidence of bleeding and perforation is much lower; making EMR the best and safest resection option for this rare hemangioma. In this case, we demonstrate that EMR is a safe technique in removing a pyogenic granuloma in the esophagus.

Anal squamous cell carcinoma with metastasis to duodenum causing duodenal stricture and gastric outlet obstruction.

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the anal canal is a rare entity encompassing only 2-4 percent of all colon, rectal, and anal cancers. SCC of the anal canal tends to be loco-regional, and in the event of distant metastasis, a most common site of spread is to liver and lung. We report an unusual case of SCC of the anal canal with duodenal metastases in a 49-year-old female who had presented with symptoms of abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting eight months after the primary diagnosis of SCC of the anal canal. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) revealed duodenal stricture with subsequent biopsy revealing duodenal mucosa with scattered malignant cell clusters within lymphatic spaces, consistent with metastatic carcinoma. Immunohistological staining demonstrated malignant cells positive for CK7, p16, p63 favoring a metastatic SCC.

Salty diabetes: a case series of hypernatremia presenting with diabetic ketoacidosis.

Hyponatremia is an expected electrolyte resultant in diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) that presents secondary to the dilutional effect of hyperglycemia. However, hypernatremia in DKA is a rare presentation, more common in the pediatric population, that rides poor morbidity and mortality. We describe three cases of patients presenting with DKA and hypernatremia with altered sensorium and share details on pathophysiology and treatment that expand our understanding amongst clinicians.

Pancreatic Solid Pseudopapillary Tumor Associated with Elevated DHEA and Testosterone.

Solid pseudopapillary neoplasms (SPN) of the pancreas are extremely rare epithelial tumors with low malignant potential. They account for only 1-2% of pancreatic lesions. These masses often go unnoticed and when they become symptomatic it is often due to mass effect on neighboring structures. We encountered an unusual presentation in a healthy 34-year-old female who was found to have elevated dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and testosterone levels during the evaluation of irregular menses. Subsequent abdominal imaging revealed an enhancing 2.7 cm pancreatic tail mass that was concerning for a pancreatic neoplasm. The patient underwent endoscopic ultrasound which confirmed the presence of a hypoechoic, 2.3 x 1.7 cm mass in the pancreatic tail. An intact interface was seen between the mass and adjacent structures, suggesting the absence of local invasion. Fine needle biopsy was performed and cytology was consistent with SPN. The patient later underwent curative distal pancreatectomy, with subsequent normalization of her menses. SPN are generally inactive on laboratory screening modalities (i.e., AFP, CEA, CA 19-9, and CA 125) and our patient showed no evidence of pancreatic insufficiency, pancreatic parenchymal injury, abnormal liver function, or cholestasis. Similarly to our patient, most SPN are asymptomatic. One retrospective study (spanning 15 years) reported vague abdominal pain in ~70% of patients, on initial presentation. Symptoms of tumor mass effect were the second most common. To our knowledge, this is the first reported presentation of elevated DHEA and testosterone levels associated with a solid pseudopapillary tumor in the absence of an underlying adrenal lesion or dysfunction. Despite extensive workup, no alternate etiology or correlatable medical condition could be elucidated for our patient's hormonal dysregulation. We, therefore, recommend further review and investigation into this potential correlative relationship in an effort to guide the future diagnosis and management of this unusual neoplasm.

A Case of Cryptococcal Hepatitis in an HIV Patient with a Negative Serum Cryptococcal Antigen.

Infectious Cryptococcus neoformans occurs primarily in immunocompromised patients. The primary organ affected is the lungs, but the infection of the central nervous system (CNS) is also be seen. Disseminated cryptococcosis can involve any organ in the body. However, hepatic involvement is rare. Here we discuss a case of cryptococcal hepatitis in a patient who presented with persistently elevated liver enzymes. A 56-year-old Ecuadorian female with no known past medical history presented with fever, abdominal pain, nausea, unintentional weight loss, and diarrhea for two months. Her liver function tests (LFTs) revealed elevated aspartate aminotransferase (AST: 415 U/L), elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT: 201 U/L), elevated alkaline phosphatase (ALP: 763 U/L), but normal total bilirubin (0.9 mg/dl). Her HIV antigen screening was reactive, and the absolute cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4) helper count was 22 cell/µL. Over the course of her hospital stay, the patient's liver enzymes continued to trend upward, with negative Histoplasma antibodies and negative serum cryptococcal antigen titers. During the second week of hospitalization, her liver enzymes continued to rise with an ALP of 4046 U/L, AST of 436 U/L, and ALT of 276 U/L. With a persistent elevation of the liver enzymes without any definitive cause, an ultrasound-guided biopsy was performed. Pathology revealed cryptococcal hepatitis, and the patient was started on a 15-day course of amphotericin B with an eight-week course of fluconazole 400 mg with LFTs nearly normalizing at six weeks. This case demonstrates an unusual manifestation of cryptococcosis. Our patient did not present with the typical cryptococcal pulmonary or central nervous system infection. Additionally, our patient's serum cryptococcal antigen titers were negative, but biopsy results revealed cryptococcal hepatitis, despite a very high sensitivity and specificity of the serum cryptococcal antigen test. This case demonstrates the importance of maintaining a broad differential, specifically in immunocompromised patients.