An autopsy case of autoimmune pancreatitis.

CONTEXT: Autoimmune pancreatitis is an increasingly recognized type of chronic pancreatitis, but little is known about the long-term outcome of the disease. CASE REPORT: We report an autopsy case of autoimmune pancreatitis. The patient was an 81-year-old Japanese male. He was referred to our department with jaundice in February 1996. ERCP images revealed a severe stricture of the lower part of the common bile duct and irregular narrowing of the main pancreatic duct. A diagnosis of extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma was made and endoscopic biliary drainage was performed. A stricture of the common bile duct and narrowing of the pancreatic duct had improved on ERCP images when a follow-up examination was performed in November 1998. He was followed up for chronic pancreatitis. The serum IgG and IgG4 levels were increased on serological examination. He died of interstitial pneumonia and congestive heart failure in May 2003. At the autopsy examination, fibrosis was found in the periductal, interlobular and intralobular parts of the pancreas. Focal atrophy of the acinar cells was also identified. There was little infiltration of inflammatory cells into the parenchyma or the stroma of the pancreas. These pathological findings were similar to those of 'conventional' chronic pancreatitis. CONCLUSION: We present an autopsy case of autoimmune pancreatitis which is a rare finding.

Hepatic sinusoidal obstruction associated with S-1 plus cisplatin chemotherapy for highly advanced gastric cancer with paraaortic lymph node metastases: report of a case.

A 56-year-old man who was diagnosed with gastric cancer with multiple paraaortic lymph node metastases was treated with S-1 plus cisplatin. The spleen gradually enlarged during the therapeutic courses. After the 6th course of therapy, the primary gastric lesion and paraaortic lymphadenopathies disappeared. He underwent a curative resection, including a distal gastrectomy with regional and paraaortic lymph node dissections. Irregularly distributed congestion of the liver was noted during the surgery. Histological examinations revealed residual cancer cells in 3 regional lymph nodes and no cancer cells in the primary site and paraaortic lymph nodes. Hepatic sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (SOS) was also confirmed histologically. This is the first report of a case with SOS after S-1 plus cisplatin therapy. S-1 plus cisplatin therapy can cause SOS, although it is a promising preoperative chemotherapy for highly advanced gastric cancer.

Transnasal ultrathin endoscopy for placement of a long intestinal tube in patients with intestinal obstruction.

BACKGROUND: The technical difficulties related to the insertion of a long intestinal tube into the jejunum under fluoroscopy present a considerable problem in patients with an intestinal obstruction. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the usefulness of endoscopic long intestinal-tube placement with the ultrathin esophagogastroduodenoscope (UT-EGD). DESIGN: A prospective randomized clinical trial was conducted. PATIENTS: Twenty-eight consecutive patients who presented with an intestinal obstruction were included in the study. INTERVENTION: The UT-EGD was inserted nasally into at least the second portion of the duodenum or beyond. After a guidewire was introduced through the working channel, with fluoroscopic guidance, the UT-EGD itself was carefully removed with the guidewire left in place. Next, a hydrophilic intestinal tube was advanced over the guidewire into the jejunum, and then the guidewire was removed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Primary end points are the total procedure time, the radiation exposure time, and the rate of complications, all compared with the conventional method. RESULTS: The mean (+/-SD) total procedure time was 18.7 +/- 8.4 minutes for the UT-EGD method and 39.5 +/- 15.0 minutes for the conventional method, with a significant time difference between the 2 methods (P < .0005). The mean (+/-SD) radiation exposure time was also shorter with the UT-EGD method (11.1 +/- 6.0 minutes) than with the conventional method (30.3 +/- 13.7 minutes) (P < .0005). There were no complications, except for mild nasal bleeding with each method. CONCLUSIONS: The UT-EGD method has definite advantages in the placement of a long intestinal tube for patients with an intestinal obstruction in comparison with the conventional method.