Binge-eating and sodium bicarbonate: a potent combination for gastric rupture in adults-two case reports and a review of literature.

BACKGROUND: Disordered eating behaviour including binge-eating often results in significant medical conditions, which are at times fatal. It can result in acute gastric dilatation which can lead to ischemic necrosis and stomach rupture. Dyspepsia and bloating are common symptoms following binge eating. Patients commonly use over-the-counter medications like sodium bicarbonate or home remedies for relief. However, in very rare, reported cases, sodium bicarbonate has been attributed to cause acute gastric dilatation and spontaneous gastric rupture instead. METHODS: We report two cases of spontaneous gastric rupture following consumption of sodium bicarbonate containing antacids after a large meal, and a review of the literature of similar cases. RESULTS: A total of 36 cases were identified. Approximately half of the cases (47.2%) were correlated with eating disorders, with higher prevalence in females (69%) and a very high mortality rate (41.6%). Amongst the 36 cases, sodium bicarbonate ingestion was associated with 10 cases. The lesser curvature (36.1%) and anterior wall (33.3%) are the most common sites of rupture. Associated causes include binge-eating, gas release from sodium bicarbonate, gastric content fermentation, proximal and distal outlet obstruction, and muscular atony. DISCUSSION: Sudden distension and impaired emptying mechanism of the stomach is necessary for spontaneous gastric rupture to occur. Acute gastric dilatation with perforation requires definitive surgical management. There should be a low threshold of suspicion for patients presenting with severe abdominal pain and abdominal distension following an episode of binge-eating. There is a need for patient education around the use of over-the-counter medications or home remedies.

Disordered eating ranges from simple dieting to eating disorders. A large proportion of overweight or obese adolescents and young adults engage in disordered eating behaviours, most commonly binge-eating. While such behaviours can result in significant medical conditions, it commonly results in uncomfortable gastrointestinal symptoms. Over-the-counter medications are often used to relieve symptoms like indigestion, abdominal pain, and heartburn. Sodium bicarbonate, a common ingredient in these medications, has been associated with spontaneous stomach rupture. Despite this, sodium bicarbonate is suggested online as a home remedy for these symptoms. In this article we report two such cases of spontaneous stomach ruptures following the consumption of sodium bicarbonate containing antacids, following a large meal. We then review the literature for similar cases. We discuss the functional changes in the body resulting in the injury, the mortality rates, suggested management approaches and the relevance of our study. Our article emphasises the need for a low threshold of suspicion for patients presenting with severe abdominal pain with abdominal distension following a binge-eating episode. There is also a need to educate patients surrounding the use of over-the-counter medications or home remedies, as they are often unaware of potentially fatal adverse effects with inappropriate use.

Laparoscopic choledochotomy and choledochoduodenostomy for the management of persistent common bile duct stones.

Choledochotomy and choledochoduodenostomy were commonly used technique in the early twentieth century to extract bile duct stones. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and sphincterotomy revolutionised the scenario and is currently the preferred first-line option for managing choledocholithiasis. However, in certain circumstances, where endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography fails, choledochotomy and choledochoduodenostomy are the only available options. We present the case of an 86-year-old female with a background of multiple previous presentations with biliary sepsis and ascending cholangitis requiring multiple endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatographies that failed to remove all stones in the common bile duct. She underwent a laparoscopic choledochotomy and choledochoduodenostomy that successfully resolved her common bile duct obstruction. Laparoscopic choledochotomy and choledochoduodenostomy reduce the length of hospital stay and help to minimise complications associated with open surgery.

Portal vein stenting in the management of duodenal varices due to malignant obstruction: A case report and literature review.

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Ectopic varices of the small bowel are a rare complication of portal hypertension. There are various aetiologies that can cause portal vein hypertension such as portal vein obstruction. Each of these pathologies has their own management strategies. Currently, there is a paucity of literature demonstrating the best management for patients with malignant portal vein obstruction leading to these varices. CASE PRESENTATION: This report presents a case of a 66-year-old female who presented with recurrent per-rectal bleeding. Computed tomography angiography diagnosed duodenal varices in the context of malignant obstruction of the portal vein. Due to being a poor operative candidate, she underwent trans-hepatic portal vein stenting leading to resolution of her symptoms. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: To date, the management of portal vein obstruction due to various aetiologies has only been reported in case reports with no significant large-scale studies providing recommendations on the most appropriate treatment. This case demonstrates the role of palliative stenting for patients with portal hypertension due to malignant portal vein obstruction. CONCLUSION: Duodenal varices are a rare complication of portal vein obstruction. This article contributes to the literature by demonstrating that patients with complications associated with portal vein obstruction can benefit from stenting. For those with malignant obstruction, palliative stenting serves as an important therapeutic option.

Incidental adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder in a patient with Y insertion gallbladder duplication in the context of recurrent biliary colic: A video case report.

RATIONALE: Gallbladder cancer is the most common malignancy of the biliary tree. Despite this, the only curative therapy remains surgical resection of the lesion achieving microscopically clear margins before malignant spread has occurred. Gallbladder duplication is an uncommon anatomical variance which occurs globally. It can present in a range of ways dependent on the embryological origin of the variance. CASE: A 52-year-old female presented for planned laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the context of cholelithiasis resulting in recurrent biliary colic. The patient had no personal history of malignancy or significant medical comorbidities. DIAGNOSIS: Intraoperatively, the patient was found to have Y-insertion variation of gallbladder duplication. Histopathology of the resected gallbladders showed an incidental invasive gallbladder adenocarcinoma affecting one of the gallbladders. INTERVENTION: Both gallbladders were laparoscopically resected en-bloc. OUTCOMES: The patient underwent oncology staging, which found no evidence of metastatic spread. Regular surveillance is attended with no recurrence of disease identified. CONCLUSION: There are few reported cases detailing the occurrence of gallbladder adenocarcinoma in the presence of duplication of the gallbladder. This case demonstrates the clinical benefit of R0 surgical resection of gallbladder cancer, whilst highlighting the difficulties of diagnosing duplication of the gallbladder or gallbladder adenocarcinoma.

Repurposing Azacitidine and Carboplatin to Prime Immune Checkpoint Blockade-resistant Melanoma for Anti-PD-L1 Rechallenge.

Purpose: Drug repurposing offers the opportunity for chemotherapy to be used to reestablish sensitivity to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy. Here we investigated the clinical and translational aspects of an early phase II study of azacitidine and carboplatin priming for anti-PDL1 immunotherapy (avelumab) in patients with advanced ICB-resistant melanoma. Experimental Design: A total of 20 participants with ICB-resistant metastatic melanoma received 2 × 4-week cycles of azacitidine and carboplatin followed by ICB rechallenge with anti-PD-L1 avelumab. The primary objective was overall response rate after priming and ICB rechallenge. Secondary objectives were clinical benefit rate (CBR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS). Translational correlation analysis of HLA-A and PD-L1 expression, RNA sequencing, and reduced representation bisulfite sequencing of biopsies at baseline, after priming and after six cycles of avelmuab was performed. Results: The overall response rate (ORR) determined after azacitidine and carboplatin priming was 10% (2/20) with two partial responses (PR). The ORR determined after priming followed by six cycles of avelumab (week 22) was 10%, with 2 of 20 participants achieving immune partial response (iPR). The CBR for azacitidine and carboplatin priming was 65% (13/20) and after priming followed by six cycles of avelumab CBR was 35% (n = 7/20). The median PFS was 18.0 weeks [95% confidence interval (CI): 14.87-21.13 weeks] and the median OS was 47.86 weeks (95% CI: 9.67-86.06 weeks). Translational correlation analysis confirmed HLA-A generally increased after priming with azacitidine and carboplatin, particularly if it was absent at the start of treatment. Average methylation of CpGs across the HLA-A locus was decreased after priming and T cells, in particular CD8+, showed the greatest increase in infiltration. Conclusions: Priming with azacitidine and carboplatin can induce disease stabilization and resensitization to ICB for metastatic melanoma. Significance: There are limited treatments for melanoma once resistance to ICB occurs. Chemotherapy induces immune-related responses and may be repurposed to reinstate the response to ICB. This study provides the first evidence that chemotherapy can provide clinical benefit and increase OS for ICB-resistant melanoma.

Segmental arterial mediolysis of left gastric artery: a case report and review of pathology.

BACKGROUND: Segmental arterial mediolysis (SAM) is a rare non inflammatory vascular disease that can present with massive haemorrhage, which may lead to death without prompt surgical intervention. CASE PRESENTATION: A 60 years old Aboriginal female presented with life threatening, spontaneous intra-abdominal bleeding requiring an emergency laparotomy. The source of bleeding was found to be ruptured left gastric artery. A total gastrectomy was performed as a damage control procedure. A staged Roux-en-Y oesophago-jejunostomy with Hunt Lawrence pouch reconstruction was undertaken thirty six hours later. Histopathological findings revealed evidence of non-inflammatory segmental vascular damage with microaneurysm, consistent with segmental arterial mediolysis. CONCLUSION: Prompt resuscitation and surgical intervention can decrease the morbidity and mortality in this rare clinical entity.

Mycobacterial infection of the gallbladder masquerading as gallbladder cancer with a false positive pet scan.

Isolated mycobacterial infection of gall bladder is an extremely rare entity. Only anecdotal reports are evident in the literature. A preoperative diagnosis of mycobacterial infection of gallbladder is therefore very difficult. The case of a 72-year-old male who underwent surgery for suspected gallbladder cancer is presented. The diagnosis of cancer was based on radiological findings and an abnormal uptake of fluorine-18-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) on positron emission tomography (PET) scan whilst being followed up for colorectal cancer. He underwent cholecystectomy and gallbladder bed resection. Histopathology was consistent with mycobacterial infection of the gallbladder.