Ultrastructural Characteristics of Gallbladder Epithelial Inclusions Mimicking Cystoisospora.

OBJECTIVES: There is recently reported increased prevalence of Isospora organisms in cholecystectomy specimens from immunocompetent patients, especially in acalculous cholecystectomies. We performed an ultrastructural and molecular evaluation of these specimens. METHODS: From 28 gallbladders with intraepithelial inclusions, two specimens with diffuse involvement of the gallbladder epithelium were analyzed by electron microscopy. Polymerase chain reaction was performed on five samples for the ITS2 region of C belli and eukaryotic 18S region. The 18S products were sequenced by next-generation sequencing. RESULTS: Electron microscopic analysis showed cytoplasmic condensations leading to vacuole formation. In contrast with true C belli, there were no identifiable organelles or organization. None of these cases showed amplified products other than human on molecular analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Electron microscopic analysis demonstrates that the inclusions are condensed cytoplasmic material and not true organisms.

Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis Presenting as Progressively Worsening Neck Pain: A Case Report With a Review of Literature.

A 29-year-old female with past medical history of chronic serous otitis media presented with worsening neck stiffness and pain over a period of 2 weeks. The patient described non-specific symptoms that were localized to the right side of her neck. She presented to the hospital only when the pain was so extreme that it limited her range of motion. The differential for acute neck pain without fever, chills or any inciting trauma is vast. They include medical emergencies such as meningitis, acute coronary syndromes and extend to rheumatologic diseases or simply musculoskeletal strain. On review of systems, she denied dizziness, headache, vision changes, dysphagia, or other facial pain. Based on the severity of her pain, she underwent a Computed Tomography scan of the neck, which was concerning for erosive calavarial lesions. Further imaging revealed multiple lytic foci and erosions from the right maxillary sinus to the right mandible to the C1 vertebra. Following requisite surgical intervention, she was found to have Langerhans cell histiocytosis, a rare disease of myeloid cells, usually affecting pediatric populations. Little is known about the adult manifestations of Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis. This review contributes to broadening the literature on this topic which can present with complaints as typical as neck pain.

Comparison of EUS-guided versus percutaneous and transjugular approaches for the performance of liver biopsies.

BACKGROUND: Liver biopsy through endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) has become a novel approach for tissue acquisition. We aim to evaluate the adequacy of EUS-guided liver biopsies in comparison to those obtained through interventional radiology (IR) techniques. METHODS: A retrospective single-center analysis was performed of all IR (transjugular or image-guided percutaneous) and EUS-guided liver biopsies performed at an academic medical center from January 2016 to January 2018. Patient demographics, histologic characteristics, and clinical outcomes were collected. RESULTS: 152 procedures were included for analysis. 45% of liver biopsies were performed through EUS-guidance. The most common indication for liver biopsy was NASH fibrosis staging (n = 64). IR-guided biopsies contained a higher number of complete portal triads (13.6 vs. 10.8 p ≤ 0.01) while EUS-guided biopsies produced an increased total specimen length (4.6 cm vs. 3.6 cm p ≤ 0.01).47% of biopsy samples were fragmented with the majority of these (72%) occurring with EUS-guided procedures (p ≤ 0.01). IR-guided biopsies led to more complications in comparison to EUS-guided procedures (p = 0.03) CONCLUSION: Liver biopsies performed through EUS-guidance are comparable to IR-guided liver biopsies and may have an enhanced safety profile with acceptable tissue acquisition characteristics. Standardization of techniques and needles is needed for optimization of tissue sampling.

An Aggressive Form of Langerhan Cell Histiocytosis in an Adult: Therapeutic Challenges.

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is rare in adults. Regular follow-up is mandatory due to reoccurrence. A 35-year-old male with an incidental left iliac bone lesion was diagnosed with LCH. He later became symptomatic with hip pain and spread of the disease. Despite excision of the symptomatic iliac lesion, he had progression while on cytarabine and nivolumab, evidenced by increased bone pain and involvement of other bones on imaging. He underwent excision of the jaw lesion followed by vinblastine; he was pain free and had stable disease on PET imaging after 3 months. LCH is an uncommon neoplasia. Treatment is reserved for symptomatic patients while asymptomatic patients are observed. Follow-up is imperative due to the risk of reoccurrence. Despite surgical treatment together with one of the front-line agents for refractory disease, in this case cytarabine, he still had progression of the disease. Furthermore, the trial of nivolumab was of no benefit. This case highlights good response to vinblastine which is previously reported to have good success. No trials are published, and the optimal strategy has yet to be defined. LCH with multiple bony involvement can be aggressive and therapeutically challenging.