Self-screening questionnaire for perianal fistulizing disease in patients with Crohn's disease.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: A poor prognostic factor for Crohn's disease (CD) includes perianal fistulizing disease, including perianal fistula and/or perianal abscess. Currently, a tool to assess perianal symptoms in patients with CD remains nonexistent. This study aimed to develop a perianal fistulizing disease self-screening questionnaire for patients with CD. METHODS: This prospective pilot study was conducted at three tertiary referral centers between January 2019 and May 2020. We formulated questions on perianal symptoms, including tenesmus, anal discharge, bleeding, pain, and heat. A 4-point Likert scale was used to rate each question. Patients with CD completed a questionnaire and underwent pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). RESULTS: Overall, 93 patients were enrolled, with 51 (54.8%) diagnosed with perianal fistulizing disease, as determined by pelvic MRI. The Spearman correlation findings demonstrated that anal pain (p = 0.450, p < 0.001) and anal discharge (p = 0.556, p < 0.001) were the symptoms that most significantly correlated with perianal disease. For anal pain and discharge, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the scores was significantly higher than that of the combined score for all five symptoms (0.855 vs. 0.794, DeLong's test p = 0.04). For the two symptoms combined, the sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive and negative predictive values were 88.2, 73.8, 80.4, and 83.8%, respectively, with 81.7% accuracy for detecting perianal fistulizing disease. CONCLUSION: This study indicates that simple questions regarding anal pain and discharge can help accurately identify the presence of perianal fistulizing disease in patients with CD.

Mobile monitoring system detects the disease activity pattern and shows the association with clinical outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed Crohn's disease.

We aimed to determine whether Crohn's disease (CD) activity patterns assessed via a web-based symptom diary can help predict clinical outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed CD. Patients diagnosed with CD within the preceding 3 months were prospectively enrolled at four tertiary centers. All patients recorded their symptoms on a website using a smartphone at least once a week. The index outcomes were disease-related admission and surgery during follow-up. The disease activity from enrollment to outcome or last follow-up was reviewed for pattern analysis. Cox regression analysis was used to identify the predictors of disease outcomes. A total of 102 patients were enrolled. During a median follow-up period of 42 months, 25 (24.5%) and 6 (5.9%) patients required admission and surgery, respectively. Poor activity pattern was an independent predictor of disease-related hospitalization (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 3.96; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.5-10.45; p = 0.005). A poor activity pattern (aHR, 19.48; 95% CI 1.86-203.95; p = 0.013) and female sex (aHR, 11.28; 95% CI 1.49-85.01; p = 0.018) were found to be independent predictors of bowel resection. CD disease activity patterns monitored through the mobile monitoring system may help predict clinical outcomes, such as disease-related hospitalization and surgery, in patients with newly diagnosed CD.

Incidence of colonoscopy-related perforation and risk factors for poor outcomes: 3-year results from a prospective, multicenter registry (with videos).

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Perforation is a life-threatening adverse event of colonoscopy that often requires hospitalization and surgery. We aimed to prospectively assess the incidence of colonoscopy-related perforation in a multicenter registry and to analyze the clinical factors associated with poor clinical outcomes. METHODS: This prospective observational study was conducted at six tertiary referral hospitals between 2017 and 2020, and included patients with colonic perforation after colonoscopy. Poor clinical outcomes were defined as mortality, surgery, and prolonged hospitalization (> 13 days). Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with poor clinical outcomes. RESULTS: Among 84,673 patients undergoing colonoscopy, 56 had colon perforation (0.66/1000, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.51-0.86). Perforation occurred in 12 of 63,602 diagnostic colonoscopies (0.19/1000, 95% CI 0.11-0.33) and 44 of 21,071 therapeutic colonoscopies (2.09/1000, 95% CI 1.55-2.81). Of these, 15 (26.8%) patients underwent surgery, and 25 (44.6%) patients had a prolonged hospital stay. One patient (1.8%) died after perforation from a diagnostic colonoscopy. In the multivariate analysis, diagnostic colonoscopy (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 196.43, p = 0.025) and abdominal rebound tenderness (aOR 17.82, p = 0.012) were independent risk factors for surgical treatment. The location of the sigmoid colon (aOR 18.57, p = 0.048), delayed recognition (aOR 187.71, p = 0.008), and abdominal tenderness (aOR 63.20, p = 0.017) were independent risk factors for prolonged hospitalization. CONCLUSIONS: This prospective study demonstrated that the incidence of colonoscopy-related perforation was 0.66/1000. The incidence rate was higher in therapeutic colonoscopy, whereas the risk for undergoing surgery was higher in patients undergoing diagnostic colonoscopy. Colonoscopy indication (diagnostic vs. therapeutic), physical signs, the location of the sigmoid perforation, and delayed recognition were independent risk factors for poor clinical outcomes in colonoscopy-related perforation.

Clean mucosal area detection of gastroenterologists versus artificial intelligence in small bowel capsule endoscopy.

Studies comparing the detection of clean mucosal areas in capsule endoscopy (CE) using human judgment versus artificial intelligence (AI) are rare. This study statistically analyzed gastroenterologist judgments and AI results. Three hundred CE video clips (100 patients) were prepared. Five gastroenterologists classified the video clips into 3 groups (≥75% [high], 50%-75% [middle], and < 50% [low]) according to their subjective judgment of cleanliness. Visualization scores were calculated using an AI algorithm based on the predicted visible area, and the 5 gastroenterologists' judgments and AI results were compared. The 5 gastroenterologists evaluated CE clip video quality as "high" in 10.7% to 36.7% and as "low" in 28.7% to 60.3% and 29.7% of cases, respectively. The AI evaluated CE clip video quality as "high" in 27.7% and as "low" in 29.7% of cases. Repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed significant differences in the 6 evaluation indicators (5 gastroenterologists and 1 AI) (P < .001). Among the 300 judgments, 90 (30%) were consistent with 5 gastroenterologists' judgments, and 82 (91.1%) agreed with the AI judgments. The "high" and "low" judgments of the gastroenterologists and AI agreed in 95.0% and 94.9% of cases, respectively. Bonferroni's multiple comparison test showed no significant difference between 3 gastroenterologists and AI (P = .0961, P = 1.0000, and P = .0676, respectively) but a significant difference between the other 2 with AI (P < .0001). When evaluating CE images for cleanliness, the judgments of 5 gastroenterologists were relatively diverse. The AI produced a relatively universal judgment that was consistent with the gastroenterologists' judgements.

Efficacy, safety and tolerability of oral sulphate tablet for bowel preparation in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: A multicentre randomized controlled study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: We evaluated the efficacy, safety and tolerability of novel oral sulphate tablets [OSTs] vs 2 L of polyethylene glycol and ascorbate [PEG/Asc] in patients with inflammatory bowel disease [IBD]. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 110 patients with clinically inactive IBD were enrolled in this single-blind multicentre non-inferiority study. Patients were randomly assigned to the OST or 2 L PEG/Asc group and we applied a split-dose regimen. The primary efficacy endpoint was bowel cleansing success rate defined as Harefield Cleansing Scale Grade A or B. The secondary endpoints were perfect preparation rate, the presence of air bubbles, safety as assessed by laboratory abnormalities and self-reported adverse events, or IBD symptom flare-ups. Tolerability was assessed by a pre-procedural visual analog scale [VAS] interview. RESULTS: Both groups showed high cleansing success rates [98.1%] and there was no significant difference in perfect preparation rate. The proportion of a bubble score 0 was significantly higher in the OST group [94.5% vs 50.0%, p < 0.001]. There was no significant intergroup difference in vomiting or bloating. Symptom flare-ups occurred in two OST group patients. No clinically significant blood test abnormalities were noted in either group. Ease of ingestion and taste scores were significantly higher in the OST group. More patients in the OST group [94.5%] wanted to take the same preparation agent for their next colonoscopy. CONCLUSIONS: Both OST and 2 L PEG/Asc demonstrated high successful cleansing and safety in patients with inactive IBD. OST achieved higher satisfaction than 2 L PEG/Asc. Our results suggest that the OST split-dose regimen is effective and safe for patients with inactive IBD.

Acute Liver Failure Secondary to Hepatic Infiltration of Malignant Melanoma.

Acute liver failure due to malignant melanoma is uncommon. We presents a case of acute liver failure secondary to hepatic infiltration of a malignant melanoma. An 86-year-old man was admitted with elevated liver enzymes and an increased lactate dehydrogenase level. His condition progressed to acute liver failure, but the etiology of liver failure was unclear. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy was performed to evaluate dyspepsia, which showed signs indicative of malignant melanoma. Based on the endoscopy findings and elevated liver enzyme levels, liver biopsy was performed to confirm the presence of malignant melanoma. Hepatic infiltration of malignant melanoma was observed histologically. However, massive and diffuse liver metastasis is very rare and difficult to identify on imaging studies. If the etiology of liver failure is unclear, diffuse metastatic melanoma infiltration should be considered as differential diagnosis. Early liver biopsy can help to clarify the diagnosis.

Gastric Angiolipoma Resected with Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection.

Angiolipoma is a benign fatty neoplasm that has components of proliferating blood vessels. These types of lesions commonly occur in the subcutaneous tissue of the limbs and trunk. Angiolipoma in the gastrointestinal tract is extremely rare, and the final diagnosis generally depends on histological examination of the excised biopsy. In most previously reported cases, the lesions were diagnosed and treated with surgical management. In this study, we report a case of gastric angiolipoma of approximately 4 cm in size that was diagnosed and treated with endoscopic submucosal dissection.

Morphological advantages of endoscopic treatment in obstructive chronic pancreatitis.

BACKGROUND: and study aims: Chronic pancreatitis is associated with recurrent or persistent abdominal pain over the course of the disease. Ductal hypertension showing obstructed and dilated pancreatic duct has been suggested as a major factor in the mechanism of pain in chronic pancreatitis. Many studies investigating pain relief after endoscopic treatment of pancreatic duct (PD) are available, but the number of studies regarding the morphological changes to pancreas such as changes in PD caliber, pancreatic parenchyma, and especially pancreatic volume is far fewer. As such, we analyzed the changes of ductal caliber and parenchymal volume after endoscopic treatment of PD in patients with obstructive chronic pancreatitis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this retrospective study, we compared two groups of patients with obstructive chronic pancreatitis that either received endoscopic management of PD or conservative treatment without such endoscopic management. After we obtained age, sex, etiology of chronic pancreatitis, diabetic status, smoking and alcohol abuse status from the database, we compared the incidence for changes in pancreatic parenchymal volume and PD caliber between two groups. RESULT: In our study population, total of 480 patients was diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis between January 2006 and December 2016, and 166 (34.5%) of these patients were diagnosed with obstructive chronic pancreatitis with obstructed and dilated PD. After reviewing the population with the exclusion criteria, 71 patients were available for the final analysis. 28 of those patient received endoscopic treatment of pancreatic duct and 43 received conservative treatment without any endoscopic treatment of PD. Statistical analysis with Cox proportional hazards models showed that diabetes and endoscopic PD management were significant predictors for progression of PD caliber and in pancreatic parenchyma, and that only PD management influenced the pancreatic volume loss. CONCLUSION: Endoscopic management of PD in obstructive chronic pancreatitis have advantages on morphologic change such as pancreatic volume loss and progression of PD caliber in long follow-up period.

Local Recurrence and Its Risk Factor after Incomplete Resection of Colorectal Advanced Adenomas: A Single Center, Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Colonoscopy can detect precancerous lesions, which can subsequently be removed and reduce incidences of and mortality from colorectal cancer (CRC). However, recently published data have highlighted a significant rate of CRC in patients who previously underwent colonoscopy. Among many reasons, incomplete resection has been considered as a significant contributor. However, to date, there have only been a few studies regarding incompletely resected polyps, especially advanced colorectal adenoma (ACA). Hence, we aimed to evaluate the prognosis of incompletely resected ACA. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with ACA who had underwent endoscopic treatment with incomplete resection. The primary outcomes were (1) the incomplete resection rate of ACA, as determined by a histopathologic examination and (2) the recurrence rate of incompletely resected ACA. We also investigated the probable contributing factors that may have led to a relapse of incompletely resected ACA. RESULTS: A total of 7,105 patients had their colorectal polyps resected by endoscopic treatment, and 2,233 of these were considered as ACA. Of these, 354 polyps (15.8%) were resected incompletely, and only 163 patients were followed-up. Of those followed-up, 31 patients (19.0%) experienced local recurrence. The risk factors for recurrence after incomplete resection were evaluated; age, morphology of adenoma, and use of rescue therapy, such as argon plasma coagulation, were found to be associated with adenoma recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Incompletely resected ACA in older patients or in patients with sessile-type adenomas should be monitored strictly, and if incomplete resection is suspected, rescue therapy must be considered.

A wide variation of the quality of colonoscopy reporting system in the real clinical practice in southeastern area of Korea.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Establishment of a colonoscopy reporting system is a prerequisite to determining and improving quality. This study aimed to investigate colonoscopists' opinions and the actual situation of a colonoscopy reporting system in a clinical practice in southeastern area of Korea and to assess the factors predictive of an inadequate reporting system. METHODS: Physicians who performed colonoscopies in the Daegu-Gyeongbuk province of Korea and were registered with the Korean Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (KSGE) were interviewed via mail about colonoscopy reporting systems using a standardized questionnaire. RESULTS: Of 181 endoscopists invited to participate, 125 responded to the questionnaires (response rate, 69%). Most responders were internists (105/125, 84%) and worked in primary clinics (88/125, 70.4%). Seventy-one specialists (56.8%) held board certifications for endoscopy from the KSGE. A median of 20 colonoscopies (interquartile range, 10-47) was performed per month. Although 88.8% of responders agreed that a colonoscopy reporting system is necessary, only 18.4% (23/125) had achieved the optimal reporting system level recommended by the Quality Assurance Task Group of the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable. One-third of endoscopists replied that they did not use a reporting document for the main reasons of "too busy" and "inconvenience." Non-endoscopy specialists and primary care centers were independent predictive factors for failure to use a colonoscopy reporting system. CONCLUSIONS: The quality of colonoscopy reporting systems varies widely and is considerably suboptimal in actual clinical practice settings in southeastern Korea, indicating considerable room for quality improvements in this field.

Non-curative endoscopic resection does not always lead to grave outcomes in submucosal invasive early gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) has been widely performed for the treatment of early gastric cancer (EGC). The aim of this study is to examine the effectiveness of ESD in submucosal invasive gastric cancers (SM-GC), with a special focus on patients who underwent non-curative resection. METHODS: Data for 1,246 patients who underwent ESD for treatment of EGC at six medical centers in Daegu-Gyeongbuk, Korea, between February 2003 and May 2010 were collected. After retrospective analysis of ESD databases, 118 patients were enrolled and classified into three groups: (1) EGC with submucosal invasion less than 500 µm (SM1-GC) that met the expanded criteria (EC) (SM1 EC, n = 42); (2) SM1-GC that did not meet the EC (SM1 non-EC, n = 38); and (3) EGC with submucosal invasion greater than 500 µm (SM2-GC, n = 38). RESULTS: The en bloc and complete resection rates did not differ significantly among the three groups. However, the curative resection rate was significantly better in the SM1 EC group (69.0%) compared to that in SM1 non-EC and SM2-GC groups (0% in both cases). Out of a total of 118 patients, 89 (75.4%) underwent non-curative resection, and cancer recurrence was observed in 9 (9/89, 10.1%). We analyzed the survival rate in these non-curative patients and the overall survival and disease-free survival did not differ significantly between patients that were treated with additional surgical resection and those that were simply followed up after ESD. CONCLUSIONS: Non-curative resection in SM-GC does not always lead to cancer recurrence. Thus, if additional surgery cannot be performed because of the patient's unsuitable condition or refusal, a close follow-up with endoscopy can be considered as an alternative for carefully selected patients. Moreover, as the ESD technology continues to evolve, it might be possible to expand the criteria for curative ESD in patients with SM-GC.

Clinical outcomes of the endoscopic submucosal dissection of early gastric cancer are comparable between absolute and new expanded criteria.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Advances in endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) techniques have led to the development of expanded criteria for endoscopic resection of early gas-tric cancer (EGC). The aim of this study was to evaluate the short- and long-term outcomes for ESD using indication cri-teria. METHODS: A total of 1,105 patients underwent ESD for EGC at six medical centers. The patients were classified into the following two groups based on the lesion size, presence of ulceration and pathological review an absolute criteria group (n=517) and an expanded criteria group (n=588). RESULTS: The curative resection rates (91.1% vs 91.3%, p=0.896) were similar in the absolute criteria group and the expanded criteria group. The en bloc resection rates (93.4% and 92.3%, respectively; p=0.488) and complete resection rates (98.3% and 97.4%, respectively; p=0.357) did not differ between the groups. The cumulative disease-free survival rates and the overall survival rates were similar between the groups (p=0.778 and p=0.654, respectively). Independent factors for the curative resection of EGC included tumor lo-cation (upper vs middle and lower, 2.632 [1.128-6.144] vs 3.497 [1.560-7.842], respectively) and en bloc resection rate 12.576 [7.442-21.250]. CONCLUSIONS: The expanded criteria for ESD in cases of EGC is comparable with the widely ac-cepted pre-existing criteria. (Gut Liver, 2015;9181-187).

Esophageal cancer treated by endoscopic submucosal dissection after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: The treatment of esophageal cancer remains clinically challenging because of the overall poor prognosis associated with the disease. The mortality rate associated with surgical treatment is high, and the majority of diagnosed patients are old. As such, surgery is not possible in many cases, even when the cancer has progressed to a resectable state. CASE PRESENTATION: We present the case of an 82-year-old Korean man who presented to our institution with intermittent odynophagia. Esophageal cancer with submucosal invasion and metastasis to three regional lymph nodes was diagnosed. After neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, his regional lymph nodes disappeared. Because of his poor pulmonary function, surgical treatment could not be performed. Endoscopic submucosal dissection was carried out instead, and endoscopic triamcinolone injections were performed serially. Neither recurrence nor abnormal symptoms such as dysphagia or regurgitation have developed for 36 months. CONCLUSIONS: The literature suggests that endoscopic submucosal dissection after chemoradiotherapy is a viable treatment modality in patients with esophageal cancer with a high surgical treatment risk.

Endoscopic submucosal dissection for early gastric cancer with undifferentiated histology: could we extend the criteria beyond?

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic submucosal desection (ESD) is an effective treatment for selected patients with early gastric cancer (EGC). The purpose of this study was to examine the short-term and long-term outcomes of ESD of undifferentiated early gastric cancer. METHODS: Data for 1,241 patients who underwent ESD for treatment of EGC between February 2003 and May 2010 were collected. We performed a retrospective analysis of the medical records of 74 patients diagnosed with undifferentiated EGC. We divided the enrolled cases into two groups: the expanded-criteria group (EC group) versus the non-EC group, according to lesion size, presence of ulceration, and pathologic review. RESULTS: Of a total of 74 lesions with undifferentiated EGC, as a result of pathologic examination the EC group included 29 cases and the non-EC group included 45 cases. The mean diameter of lesions was 19.86 ± 12.5 mm. The overall rates of en bloc resection and complete resection were 90.5% (67/74) and 73% (54/74), respectively. The curative resection rate was low at 31.1%. If limited to the pathologically diagnosed EC group, the curative resection rate was 79.3% (23/29). During median follow-up periods of 34 months (range 7-81), local recurrences were observed in 5.5% (4/74) of patients. All of these were in the non-EC group and all underwent noncurative resection. There was no mortality related to ESD for treatment of EGC during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: ESD may be a feasible treatment for selected patients with undifferentiated EGC; this should be validated by development of new criteria for ESD for treatment of EGC.

[A case of cholecysto-gastro-colonic fistula with upper gastrointestinal bleeding].

Biliary enteric fistula is an abnormal pathway often caused by biliary disease. It is difficult to diagnose the disease because patients have nonspecific symptoms. A 67-year-old woman presented with hematemesis and melena. She was diagnosed with Dieulafoy lesion on the gastric antrum and underwent endoscopic hemostasis using hemoclips. Follow-up upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed an abnormal opening on a previous treated site that was suggestive of biliary enteric fistula. Abdomen simple X-ray and abdominal dynamic CT scan showed pneumobilia and cholecysto-gastric fistula. The patient had cholecystectomy and wedge resection of the gastric antrum, followed by right extended hemicolectomy because of severe adhesive lesion between the gallbladder and colon. She was diagnosed with cholecysto-gastro-colic fistula postoperatively. We report on this case and give a brief review of the literatures.

Predictive risk factors of perforation in gastric endoscopic submucosal dissection for early gastric cancer: a large, multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: Although endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is standard therapy for early gastric cancer, the complication rate is unsatisfactory, with perforation as the major complication during ESD. There have been several reports regarding the complications of ESD for gastric tumor especially perforation; however, little is known about the predictors for complications in patients undergoing ESD. The purpose of this retrospective study was to determine the risk factors for perforation in patients with early gastric cancer during ESD. METHODS: Between February 2003 and May 2010, we performed ESD for 1,289 lesions in 1,246 patients at six tertiary academic hospitals in Daegu, Kyungpook, Korea. Patient-related variables (age, sex, and underlying disease), endoscopic-related variables (indication of ESD, lesion size, location, type, and mucosal ulceration), procedure-related variables (operation time, complete resection, and invasion of submucosa/vessel/lymph node), and the pathologic diagnosis were evaluated as potential risk factors. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 64 years. The mean size of the endoscopic lesion was 19.4 mm. The overall en bloc resection rate was 93.3 %. Perforation (microperforation and macroperforation) was seen in 35 lesions. The location of the lesion (long axis: body/short axis: greater and lesser curvature) and piecemeal resection were associated with perforation (p = 0.01/0.047 and p = 0.049). Upon multivariate analysis, the location (body vs. antrum) of the lesion (odds ratio (OR) 2.636; 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.319-5.267; p = 0.006) and piecemeal resection (OR 2.651; 95 % CI 1.056-6.656; p = 0.038) were significant predictive factors for perforation. CONCLUSIONS: The result of this study demonstrated that the location of the lesion (body) and piecemeal resection were related to perforation during ESD.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors of the stomach: endosonographic differentiation in relation to histological risk.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The aim of this study was to determine the endosonographic characteristics of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) of the stomach according to histological risk classification. METHODS: Twenty-four cases of histologically proven c-kit positive GISTs were divided into three groups according to histological risk: low risk (n = 14), intermediate risk (n = 7) and high risk (n = 3). Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) features recorded were: size, ulceration, regularity of marginal border, lobulation, shape of tumor, marginal halo, homogeneity, internal echogenic or cystic foci, and the presence of exophytic development. RESULTS: Significant differences were seen in size between the groups studied (P = 0.026). All tumors in the high risk group had mucosal ulceration, which was more commonly seen in the intermediate risk group compared to the low risk group (P = 0.014). All tumors in the high risk group had irregular borders, but only three cases out of 11 in the low risk group had irregular borders (P = 0.039). Thirteen cases in the low risk group and five cases in the intermediate risk group had an oval or round shape; however, only one case in the high risk group showed this (P = 0.043). The optimal size value for prediction of the intermediate and high risk group was 30 mm. Sensitivity and specificity with this value was 80% and 79%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Large, especially larger than 30 mm, GISTs of the stomach with irregular borders, mucosal ulceration and a non-oval shape on EUS suggest higher risk GISTs of the stomach. These criteria might aid in the clinical management of GISTs of the stomach.

[A case of an intraluminal duodenal diverticulum managed with endoscopic incision and ligation using needle-knife and detachable snare].

An intraluminal duodenal diverticulum (IDD) is a rare congenital anomaly consisted of a sac-like mucosal projection within the second portion of the duodenum. Even though most of cases are asymptomatic, patients may develop recurrent abdominal pain, pancreatitis, and gastrointestinal bleeding. We report a case of symptomatic IDD which presented as acute pancreatitis and obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. Diagnosis was made by typical findings of upper GI series and coronal reformatted CT images. Although surgical resection is the treatment of choice, endoscopic incision and ligation with detachable snare was performed which led to a good result.

[A case of cholestatic hepatitis induced by epstein-barr virus infection].

Acute viral hepatitis in human can be caused by a large number of viruses with a wide range of clinical manifestations and laboratory findings. EBV is a rare causative agent of an acute hepatitis, during the course of infectious mononucleosis. Hepatic manifestations of EBV are usually mild and resolve without serious complications. EBV is rather uncommonly confirmed as an etiologic agent in acute viral hepatitis of adults and it rarely causes cholestatic hepatitis. We report a case of EBV hepatitis with cholestatic feature that was verified through serum viral marker and liver biopsy.

[The factors related to the prognosis of solitary hepatocellular carcinoma after radiofrequency ablation].

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Several risk factors, such as size and location, are related to local recurrence after radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The objectives of this study were to clarify factors related to prognosis. METHODS: From October 1999 to December 2002, we performed RFA for 107 consecutive patients with solitary HCC. We evaluated spiral computed tomography and serum alpha-fetoprotein level every 3 months after RFA. Seven possible factors for prognosis were analyzed using the Cox proportional hazards regression model: tumor size, tumor location, age, sex, etiology, platelet count, and Child-Pugh classification. Overall survival and disease free survival rate were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and differences between two groups were compared using the log rank test. RESULTS: The Kaplan-Meier estimates of overall survival after radiofrequency ablation were 90.5% at 12 months, 67.4% at 24 months and 46.4% at 36 months and disease free survival were 71.4%, 46.7% and 20.9%, respectively. Using the Cox proportional hazards regression model, it was shown that with regard to overall survival and disease free survival, Child-Pugh classification (P=0.001, P=0.026) and platelet count (P<0.001, P=0.002) were statistically significant factors. The other factors did not have a statistically significant relationship to overall survival and disease free survival. CONCLUSIONS: The size and location known as local recurrence factors were not statistically significant with regard to survival and disease free survival. The Child-Pugh classification and platelet count, that reflect the liver function at the time of RFA, were significant factors for prognosis.