[Successful endoscopic transpapillary pancreaticobiliary drainage for omental panniculitis by hepatocellular carcinoma complicated by biliary fistula and pancreatic fistula].

A 78-year-old man with hepatocellular carcinoma treated by chemoembolization and percutaneous ethanol injection was admitted to our hospital because of acute abdomen. The CT scan showed biliary fistula caused by hepatocellular carcinoma protruding from S3. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography showed disruption of an intrahepatic duct and the main pancreatic duct, and contrast agent leaked into the peritoneal cavity from each duct. Omental panniculitis with biliary fistula and pancreatic fistula was diagnosed. The symptoms improved by endoscopic nasobiliary drainage and endoscopic pancreatic stenting. On the 13th day after admission, we added endoscopic nasopancreatic drainage because his abdominal pain had been exacerbated by pancreatic juice leakage. Omental panniculitis by hepatocellular carcinoma complicated by biliary fistula and pancreatic fistula is extremely rare. Endoscopic transpapillary pancreaticobiliary drainage was effective for omental panniculitis in this case.

Delayed enhanced hepatosplenic sarcoid nodules on computed tomography in an interferon-naïve hepatitis C patient: a case report and review of the literature.

A 77-year-old woman with chronic type C hepatitis was diagnosed with hypoechoic hepatosplenic nodules on ultrasonography. These lesions showed low density on precontrast computed tomography and delayed enhancement. Judging from laboratory data and images, the nodules were considered unlikely to represent malignancies and were followed conservatively. The hepatic lesions then increased in size and number. Sarcoidosis was diagnosed following liver biopsy. All nodules disappeared spontaneously within 6 years. Although some cases of interferon-induced sarcoidosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C or hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related cirrhosis have been reported recently, interferon-naïve cases are relatively rare. Delayed enhancement on computed tomography may reflect fibrosis of hepatic sarcoid lesions that have been histologically confirmed. Gastroenterologists managing patients with chronic HCV infection need to keep such cases in mind.

[A case of primary splenic angiosarcoma with intraperitoneal hemorrhage treated by transcatheter arterial embolization].

Splenic tumors are very rare. In Japan only 42 cases of splenic angiosarcoma have been reported. We encountered a case of spontaneous rupture of a splenic angiosarcoma and liver metastasis. A 60-year-old woman who suddenly went into hemorrhagic shock presented at our hospital. Then acute spontaneously ruptured spleen and hepatic tumors were diagnosed by abdominal CT. After emergency TAE, the patient was hemodynamically stable, but died of liver failure 13 days after admission. The pathological diagnosis was primary splenic angiosarcoma with multiple organ metastasis on autopsy. Splenic angiosarcoma should be kept in mind in the differential diagnosis of splenomegaly or splenic tumor. TAE can be effective in primary hemostasis for angiosarcoma with intraperitoneal hemorrhage from multiple tumors.

[Endoscopic ultrasound-guided transmural cyst drainage (EUS-CD) was effective in a case of pancreatic pseudocyst with obstructive jaundice and duodenal stenosis].

A 40-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of epigastralgia and vomiting. His condition was diagnosed as acute pancreatitis with a pancreatic pseudocyst, obstructive jaundice, and duodenal stenosis. Because he had fever, abdominal pain, and elevated levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), endoscopic ultrasound-guided transmural cyst drainage (EUS-CD) was performed with a nasocystic tube on the 6th day. After the cyst was reduced and the patient recovered from the obstructive jaundice and duodenal stenosis, the nasal drainage tube was replaced with a plastic stent. Because a short extent of stenosis in the main pancreatic duct in the pancreatic head was found by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), a 5Fr pancreatic stent was placed to prevent pancreatitis. No recurrence of pancreatitis and the cyst occurred after removal of both stents 5 days later.

Slow growing flat-type primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus treated with cap-assisted EMR.

We report a rare case of flat-type primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus treated with endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR). A 64-year-old woman was referred for examination of a small pigmented lesion located in the mid esophagus. On endoscopy, the lesion exhibited almost no change in size over the year. Cap-assisted EMR was performed en bloc. The histopathological findings showed atypical melanocyte proliferation in the basal layer, spindle cells, and epithelioid cell proliferation with nuclear enlargement and a few mitotic figures. Histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of primary malignant melanoma. Immunostaining for S-100 protein and HMB-45 antibody were positive, and the Ki-67 index was low. The patient was discharged without additional surgical resection and/or chemotherapy. The patient had no symptoms and no signs of recurrence 20 months after EMR. There has been no report on a slow growing esophageal melanoma. It is difficult to estimate the malignant behavior of this case.

Tracheobronchitis in a patient with Crohn's disease.

A 19-year-old Japanese man who had been diagnosed with Crohn's disease (CD) suffered from dry cough and fever over 38 degrees C for three days prior to hospitalization. On admission, his colonic CD condition was stable, neither active nor in remission. Computed tomography of the chest showed small elevated tracheobronchial lesions. Bronchoscopy showed diffuse whitish granular lesions in the trachea and bronchi. The pathological findings in the biopsy showed inflammatory infiltration suggesting Crohn's tracheobronchitis. Thereafter, he was treated with inhaled Fluticasone propionate 400 microg/day. After one week his dry cough improved, and after two weeks bronchoscopic findings were improved.

Severe myelosuppression following alopecia shortly after the initiation of 6-mercaptopurine in a patient with Crohn's disease.

A 15-year-old, woman, Crohn's disease patient, who carried the TPMT *3C heterozygous mutant, complained of alopecia 3 days after starting 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) and then developed severe myelosuppression 6 weeks after starting 6-MP. The alopecia involved scalp hair only (body hair preserved) and was dominant in the temporal region. Following these side effects, transient remission of Crohn's disease occurred. Myelosuppression due to 6-MP is a rare but life-threatening side effect that is difficult to predict despite continuous monitoring of complete blood cell counts. In the present case, 6-MP-induced alopecia preceded myelosuppression and progressed rapidly as the myelosuppression worsened.