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Small bowel obstruction (SBO) is an extremely common condition for hospitalization throughout the world. Although most causes of are due to post-operative adhesions, there are much less common causes which remain important to consider as differentials due to diagnostic and treatment implications. To the best of our knowledge, we are presenting the first case of SBO caused by Salmonella typhimurium induced terminal ileitis. We discuss how certain characteristics on CT imaging along with culture data led to our diagnosis and successful treatment.
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Background and Aim: Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) is often performed prior to transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) to evaluate for esophageal pathologies. Although TEE is a safe procedure, some contraindications exist, such as esophageal varices. The incidence of bleeding with TEE is <0.01%, which questions the need for this routine invasive procedure prior to TEE. We sought to characterize patients in whom pre-TEE endoscopy was requested to determine its clinical utility and identify those that would most benefit. Methods: We retrospectively studied patients who underwent EGD for TEE clearance between January 2014 and October 2019. We assessed how often EGD changed management and complications after TEE in those with EGD abnormalities. Results: Eighty-three patients were included. Twenty-three percent had prior GI bleed, 63% had cirrhosis, 18% had known varices, and 7% had prior variceal bleed. The most common EGD findings were varices (33%). Eighty-one percent proceeded with TEE. Reasons for TEE deferral included varices (12.5%), high-risk bleeding lesion (12.5%), and mechanical abnormality (12.5%). In the majority (37.5%), TEE was deemed no longer indicated. No patient undergoing TEE had significant hemoglobin drop or overt bleeding. The most common reason for not performing TEE was unrelated to EGD findings: lack of ongoing indication for TEE. Conclusion: Based on our study, EGD is likely not needed for TEE clearance in patients with varices or prior GI bleed. Given that data are limited in patients with abnormalities such as strictures, EGD may still be warranted for these patients. Further studies to identify which patients will benefit from pre-TEE endoscopy are warranted.
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Hepatitis C-induced mixed cryoglobulinemia leading to rapidly progressive gangrene, necessitating amputations, is a rare presentation. We describe a case of a 55-year-old man with untreated chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) presenting with arthralgia and palpable purpura, which rapidly progressed to life-threatening gangrene of all extremities requiring amputations in the setting of mixed cryoglobulinemia. Treatment for HCV was initiated which led to the arrest of gangrene progression and the patient's survival. Patients with HCV-induced cryoglobulinemia should be closely monitored and started on early therapy with direct-acting antiviral therapy to prevent progression of vasculitis to gangrene. Universal screening for HCV can aid in early diagnosis and treatment to prevent devastating consequences.
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Emphysematous pancreatitis is a rare complication of acute necrotizing pancreatitis, which carries a mortality rate of up to 70%. It has only been described in isolated case reports. We report a patient who presented with suspected bowel perforation and was subsequently found to have emphysematous pancreatitis that was managed successfully with multidisciplinary team involvement.
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The use of herbal and dietary supplements is rising in the United States. Turmeric has been one of the most popular supplements recently, used widely for various conditions such as arthritis, digestive disorder, and liver conditions. Although rarely reported, hepatotoxicity can happen with turmeric use. Here, we present 2 cases of drug-induced liver injury due to turmeric use with the complete resolution after cessation.
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Primary retroperitoneal serous cystadenomas (PRSCs) are rare cystic lesions whose pathogenesis is currently not well understood. Although the vast majority of tumors are benign, early recognition and resection is necessary to avoid malignant transformation, rupture, and secondary infection. Here we present the case of a 79-year-old woman who presented with confusion, visual hallucinations, and a history of fall. As part of the work-up for abdominal distension, computed tomography scan of the abdomen and pelvis was performed, which revealed a right-sided retroperitoneal cystic lesion measuring 26.6 × 16.7 cm in size. The lesion was resected laparoscopically, and the surgical specimen measured 28 × 17 cm. Histology revealed a serous cystadenoma. The postsurgical course was uneventful, and no radiological recurrence was noted on 3 months follow-up. Very few primary retroperitoneal cystic lesions have been reported in the literature. Most lesions are benign and predominantly occur in females. They may remain asymptomatic for long periods of time and are usually discovered when they reach very large in size. In rare cases, these lesions may have malignant potential. Diagnosis of PRSC should be considered in the differential diagnosis of all retroperitoneal cysts.
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BACKGROUND: The negative effect of diabetes mellitus (DM) on the colonoscopy preparation has been previously established. Metabolic syndrome has been shown to increase risk for malignancy and possibly for premalignant lesions. This study aimed to investigate the impact of DM control on colonoscopy outcomes including bowel preparation and adenoma detection rate (ADR). METHODS: We included patients with DM who underwent colonoscopy in our hospital and had a documented glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C) within 3 months. Patients were categorized into three groups based on their HbA1C level. The clinical and endoscopic data were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: Our cohort included 352 DM patients. The mean age was 63.5 years. When patients were analyzed based on HBA1C, bowel preparation was poor in 46.7% of patients with good glycemic control, 52.1% of patients with fair control and 50% of patients with poor control. ADR was 24.3% in patients with good glycemic control, 20.2% in patients with fair glycemic control and 27.1% in patients with poor glycemic control. There was no statistically significant difference in the quality of preparation or adenoma detection amongst the groups. CONCLUSION: The degree of glycemic control did not impact the quality of bowel preparation or ADR.