[A Case Report of Resectable Leiomyosarcoma of the Duodenum Origin Invading to the Inferior Vena Cava].

A 40's woman had a complaint of abdominal and back pain. Enhanced CT visualized a large retroperitoneal tumor and huge multiple myomas of the uterus. The tumor was 10cm in diameter and located in the anterior of the inferior vena cava, and progressed from the posterior of the duodenum to the abdominal aortic bifurcation. Diffusion-weighted MR image showed the tumor with high signal intensity. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed a type 2 tumor at the anal side of the Vater. The patient was performed curativly abdominal total hysterectomy and pancreaticoduodenectomy with inferior vena cava resection. Immunohistochemical examination showed that the tumor cells were negative for CD34 and c-kit, and positive for desmin and a-SMA. The tumor was histopathologically diagnosed as leiomyosarcoma originating from the duodenum.

Human splanchnic amino-acid metabolism.

Plasma levels of several amino acids are correlated with metabolic dysregulation in obesity and type 2 diabetes. To increase our understanding of human amino-acid metabolism, we aimed to determine splanchnic interorgan amino-acid handling. Twenty patients planned to undergo a pylorus preserving pancreatico-duodenectomy were included in this study. Blood was sampled from the portal vein, hepatic vein, superior mesenteric vein, inferior mesenteric vein, splenic vein, renal vein, and the radial artery during surgery. The difference between arterial and venous concentrations of 21 amino acids was determined using liquid chromatography as a measure of amino-acid metabolism across a given organ. Whereas glutamine was significantly taken up by the small intestine (121.0 ± 23.8 µmol/L; P < 0.0001), citrulline was released (-36.1 ± 4.6 µmol/L; P < 0.0001). This, however, was not seen for the colon. Interestingly, the liver showed a small, but a significant uptake of citrulline from the circulation (4.8 ± 1.6 µmol/L; P = 0.0138) next to many other amino acids. The kidneys showed a marked release of serine and alanine into the circulation (-58.0 ± 4.4 µmol/L and -61.8 ± 5.2 µmol/L, P < 0.0001), and a smaller, but statistically significant release of tyrosine (-12.0 ± 1.3 µmol/L, P < 0.0001). The spleen only released taurine (-9.6 ± 3.3 µmol/L; P = 0.0078). Simultaneous blood sampling in different veins provides unique qualitative and quantitative information on integrative amino-acid physiology, and reveals that the well-known intestinal glutamine-citrulline pathway appears to be functional in the small intestine but not in the colon.

[A case of pancreaticoduodenectomy for duodenal carcinoma with a replaced common hepatic artery running through the pancreatic parenchyma].

To perform safe and radical pancreaticoduodenectomy, adequate knowledge of the branching and running course of the common hepatic artery is necessary. Formation of a common trunk by the common hepatic artery and superior mesenteric artery, called the hepatomesenteric trunk, is very rare. When it occurs, the common hepatic artery arising from the hepatomesenteric trunk usually runs behind the pancreas head. In the present case, however, it ran through the pancreatic parenchyma. Therefore, pancreaticoduodenectomy for duodenal carcinoma was performed with preservation of the intrapancreatic common hepatic artery. When pancreaticoduodenectomy is performed in patients with a replaced common hepatic artery running through the pancreatic parenchyma, it is necessary to preoperatively determine whether to preserve or resect the common hepatic artery in the pancreas with consideration of the curability. If resected, whether to reconstruct it must also be determined. If reconstructed, the reconstruction method must be determined, and if not, it is important to perform preoperative coiling of the common hepatic artery and intraoperative measurement of the hepatic blood flow with a Doppler flow meter.

[Pancreaticoduodenal resection in the treatment of malignant periampullar tumors].

The experience of performance of pancreaticoduodenal resection (PDR) in 412 patients in 1998-2009 yrs for malignant periampullar tumors was analyzed. In 296 patients a standard PDR was done and in 116, with tumoral affection of distal part of common biliary duct and duodenal large papilla - pylorus-preserving PDR Individualized approach was used, exploiting modern technologies of pylorus-preserving PDR: saving gastroduodenal artery, selective ligation of right branch of dorsal pancreatic and lower pancreatoduodenal artery, dorsal and translateral surgical approaches usage. In 26 patients PDR was accomplished with resection of vessels. In 12 patients a no-touch procedure of PDR was applied. There were analyzed the results of application of modified extended lymphadenectomy while PDR performance. Complications had occurred in 29.5% patients, lethality was 2.7%. The survival indices had constituted at average 24 mo--in pancreatic tumors, 48 mo--in tumors of a distal part of common biliary duct and 72 mo--for localized in duodenal large papilla. Introduction of a new methods of PDR would permit to improve an early and late results of treatment.

Percutaneous ultrasonography-guided core needle biopsy of gastrointestinal lesions: what's its actual role in clinical practice? A retrospective study for safety and effectiveness.

PURPOSE: Endoscopic biopsy is commonly performed to obtain a pathological diagnosis of gastrointestinal (GI) lesions. When the lesions are submucosal, subserosal, or exophytic, endoscopic biopsy is often unsuccessful, and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided biopsy is considered the procedure of choice in these cases. Nevertheless, in some patients both endoscopic and EUS-guided biopsy are not indicated, or yield inconclusive cyto-histological results. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of percutaneous ultrasonography (US)-guided biopsy of GI wall lesions, and to define its actual role in clinical practice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on 45 consecutive US-guided biopsies of GI lesions. All biopsies were performed in patients unsuitable for endoscopic or EUS-guided biopsy, or with lesions inaccessible to endoscopic techniques, or with inconclusive results from endoscopic or EUS-guided biopsy. Biopsies were performed with an 18 or 20-gauge Tru-cut needle under US guidance. Biopsy results were compared with the final diagnosis that was based on surgical pathological findings or clinical instrumental follow-up of at least 20 months. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), overall accuracy, and complication rate of the procedure were calculated. RESULTS: One biopsy specimen (2.2 %) was inadequate for cyto-histologic examination. In the remaining 44 cases, US-guided biopsy correctly identified 39 / 40 (97.5 %) malignant lesions, and 4 / 4 (100 %) benign lesions. One case resulted in a false negative (2.2 %). The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and overall diagnostic accuracy were 97.5 %, 100 %, 100 %, 80 % and 97.7 %, respectively. Including also the inadequate specimen into the analysis, they were 95.1 %, 100 %, 100 %, 66.7 % and 95.6 %, respectively. No procedure-related complications were observed. In ten cases (22.2 %), US-guided biopsy results made it possible to avoid unnecessary surgical exploration. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous US-guided core biopsy of GI wall lesions is an accurate and safe technique that makes it possible in select cases to obtain a correct pathological diagnosis and prevent unnecessary surgical exploration. Although it has been replaced by EUS-guided biopsy as the procedure of choice to sample submucosal or subserosal GI lesions, US-guided biopsy can still play a useful role in the diagnostic workup of GI lesions when endoscopy or EUS is unsuccessful for various reasons or yields inconclusive cyto-histological results.

Vasculopathic changes, a somatostatin-producing neuroendocrine carcinoma and a jejunal gastrointestinal stromal tumor in a patient with type 1 neurofibromatosis.

A 36-year-old male with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF-1) presented with symptoms of obstructive jaundice. Imaging showed a periampullary mass, which on endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography biopsy proved to be a somatostatinoma. A Whipple's procedure was performed and a somatostatinoma of the duodenum was confirmed. In addition, the patient had a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) of the jejunum with accompanying hyperplasia of interstitial cells of Cajal. The somatostatinoma was histologically characteristic with pseudoglandular and solid patterns together with psammoma bodies and lymphovascular invasion. The GIST did not display mutations in c-kit or platelet-derived growth factor receptor genes. The novel finding in this case was the presence of several vessels in the submucosa and muscularis propria of the duodenum displaying prominent intimal hyperplasia and in keeping with so-called neurofibromatosis-associated vasculopathy. These abnormal vessels were within and close to the somatostatinoma only and were not found away from the tumor. It is thought that the vasculopathy is related to NF-1 with abnormal neurofibromin possibly playing a role.

[Transcatheter arterial embolization for the continuous bleeding from duodenal carcinoma--a case report].

We report a case of duodenal carcinoma with continuous bleeding that was successfully treated with transcatheter arterial embolization using gelatin sponge particles. The case was a woman in her 70's who had a curative surgical resection for sigmoid colon cancer with liver and lung metastases, hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy and radiofrequency ablation for liver metastasis in the past. She was admitted to our hospital because of liver abscess and anemia. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed active bleeding from a duodenal tumor. The biopsy of the specimens was made and showed duodenal adenocarcinoma. The patient was considered to be inoperable because of the liver abscess and transcatheter arterial embolization of an anterior superior pancreaticoduodenal artery through an inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery was performed for the continuous bleeding from duodenal carcinoma not completely treated by endoscopic hemostasis or frequent transfusion. After the tumor embolization anemia was improved and partial response was obtained by systemic chemotherapy of mFOLFOX6. Transcatheter arterial embolization for a continuous bleeding from duodenal carcinoma is a feasible and effective method as a noninvasive therapy when it is unabled to be treated by surgical resection or endoscopic therapy.

New approach to diagnosing ampullary tumors by magnifying endoscopy combined with a narrow-band imaging system.

BACKGROUND: A newly developed narrow-band imaging (NBI) system, which uses modified optical filters, can yield clear images of microvessels and surface structure in gastric and colonic diseases. In the present study, we investigated the ability of magnifying endoscopy with NBI (MENBI) to diagnose and differentiate between benign and malignant ampullary tumors. METHODS: Fourteen patients, whose ampullas were noted to be significantly enlarged or protruding with conventional endoscopy, were enrolled in the study. Specimens, which were obtained by forceps biopsy, endoscopic papillectomy, and/or surgery, were retrieved for histopathological examination. The correlation between MENBI images and histopathological findings was investigated. MENBI findings were classified as I, oval-shaped villi; II, pinecone/leaf-shaped villi; or III, irregular/nonstructured. In addition, tortuous, dilated, and network-like vessels noted on the ampullary lesions with MENBI were defined as abnormal vessels. RESULTS: In 6 of 14 patients, the ampullary changes were proven to be inflammatory in forceps biopsy specimens, without any evidence of malignancy after more than 1 year of follow-up. In five patients, ampullary lesions were treated by endoscopic papillectomy, and in three, by pancreatoduodenectomy. All adenomas and adenocarcinomas had type II and/or type III surface structures, and patients whose ampulla had a type I surface structure had only inflammatory or hyperplastic changes. In addition, abnormal vessels were seen only in adenocarcinomas and never in adenomas. CONCLUSIONS: MENBI has the ability and potential to predict histological characteristics of ampullary lesions.

Duodenal schwannoma causing gastrointestinal bleeding: helical CT findings.

Neurogenic tumors of the small intestine are extremely rare and represent an unusual cause of gastrointestinal hemorrhage. We present a case of schwannoma of the fourth portion of the duodenum demonstrated by helical computed tomography. Multiplanar reconstructions showed a hypervascular tumor arising from the inferior wall of the duodenum. The use of water as oral contrast agent instead of iodinated contrast permitted a better visualization of the intact mucosa and differentiated a hypervascular tumor from hypodense gastrointestinal content.

Paraganglioneuroma of the duodenum. Report of a case with radiographic findings, angiographic findings and a review of the literature.

A 59-year old Cuban male had seven episodes of gastrointestinal bleeding. Angiographic and radiographic studies revealed a polypoid mass in the second portion of the duodenum. The mass proved to be paraganglioneuroma. A review of the literature reveals only 25 previously recorded such cases. Eighty-eight per cent of the lesions were located in the second part of the duodenum: 84% of the patients were symptomatic. The two main symptoms noted were abdominal discomfort (45.5%) and bleeding (47.6%). None of the lesions was a malignant or functional tumor.

[The angiographic investigation of duodenal tumours (author's transl)]. / Angiographische Untersuchung von Duodenaltumoren

The diagnosis and differential diagnosis of primary duodenal carcinomas by conventional radiological methods is difficult. Valuable information can be obtained by angiography, since primary duodenal carcinomas, unlike carcinomas of the papilla and pancreas, are characterised by the formation of pathological vessels arising from the duodenal branches of the gastro-duodenal artery. The integrity of the latter is an important differentiating feature. Exact localisation of the tumour is important in pre-operative assessment and diagnosis.