Case Reports in Gastroenterology最新文献

Introduction: Acute gastric dilatation (AGD) is a massive distension of the stomach caused by the accumulation of gas, gastric secretions, or food material. AGD is a radiological diagnosis with no clear etiopathogenesis and is often misdiagnosed owing to a lack of clear diagnostic criteria and physician awareness.

Case presentation: In this case series, we describe the clinical presentations and outcomes of 4 patients with AGD. Three (75%) of the patients were female, and one (25%) was male. The patients' ages ranged from 53 to 84 years, with an average age of 73.5 years. Abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting were the most frequently reported complaints. Two (50%) patients had cancer, one (25%) had an acquired duodenal stenosis, and the fourth patient experienced an ileus.

Conclusion: AGD is a surgical emergency with a 50-100% mortality rate; thus, prompt diagnosis and management are crucial. Herein, we describe a case series of AGDs that were diagnosed and managed at our institution. We aim to raise awareness about this fatal yet underrecognized clinical entity.

Introduction: Fishbone (FB) ingestion is a rare cause of gastrointestinal perforation. Herein, we report a case of FB-induced colonic perforation, in which the presence of a penile colonic carcinoma may have contributed to the development of the perforation.

Case presentation: An 83-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with severe abdominal pain during bowel movement. Computed tomography (CT) yielded a diagnosis of sigmoid colonic perforation due to FB and secondary peritonitis. Preoperative endoscopic examination suggested that the perforation was associated with a stalked colon tumor in the vicinity. After undergoing low anterior resection and sigmoid colostomy, the patient is currently doing well.

Conclusion: The incidence of FB-induced colorectal-cancer-related perforation is expected to increase in the future owing to an aging society, the increase in the rates of colorectal cancer, and increase in fish consumption. This rare case suggests that preoperative examinations are important and that even relatively small polyps can contribute to gastrointestinal perforation caused by FBs. Older individuals should exercise caution during fish ingestion.

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Introduction: Boerhaave syndrome is a rare condition associated with high morbidity and mortality. Prompt intervention greatly improves outcomes, with surgery traditionally being the mainstay of management. Recent advances in therapeutic endoscopy have led to increasing interest in endoluminal vacuum therapy (EVT), a minimally invasive technique, allowing wound debridement and drainage, encouraging granulation tissue formation. EVT has been associated with positive clinical outcomes, including lower mortality rates compared to surgery and stenting for the management of anastomotic leaks, and to a lesser extent, oesophageal perforations. EVT has been adopted into practice across Europe; however, only few cases have been reported from the UK.

Case presentations: We report three cases of Boerhaave syndrome, successfully managed with EVT, using the Eso-SPONGE ^® (B.Braun Medical Ltd, Sheffield, UK). EVT involves the placement of a polyurethane sponge into the wound cavity. The cavity is initially assessed, then an overtube is introduced through which the sponge is inserted, and then the overtube is removed. Sponge position is confirmed and adjusted if necessary. The sponge is connected via a trans-nasal drain to continuous negative pressure suction and is changed every 3-5 days. Having been deemed surgically unfit, all 3 patients were referred for EVT. All patients made excellent recovery and were discharged home.

Conclusion: EVT is an effective management strategy for surgically unfit Boerhaave syndrome patients. Eso-SPONGE use aided drainage of the septic focus and closure of the defect, leading to complete recovery. Our findings support the existing evidence that EVT is a promising solution for Boerhaave syndrome.

Introduction: The esophagus and duodenum are rare sites of manifestation for extrapulmonary tuberculosis (TB). Its rarity makes the diagnosis challenging, especially when no other organ is involved, and the endoscopic findings may resemble malignancy.

Case presentation: We report a unique case of a 37-year-old woman who presented with dysphagia secondary to esophageal TB with an endoscopic appearance of a submucosal mass resembling malignancy.

Conclusion: Esophageal TB is a rare cause of dysphagia, especially in a western setting. It should always be considered as a potential etiology in patients with dysphagia.

Introduction: In recent years, the frequency of idiopathic peptic ulcers (IPUs) has increased. However, the clinicopathological characteristics of IPU have not been fully elucidated and treatment methods for recurrent and refractory cases have not yet been established.

Case presentation: A man in his forties complained of epigastric discomfort. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed a gastric ulcer in the lesser curvature of the gastric angle. After Helicobacter pylori was eradicated, the gastric ulcer recurred despite the administration of a potassium competitive acid blocker (PCAB), and a diagnosis of IPU was made. Twenty-four-hour intragastric pH monitoring revealed insufficient gastric acid suppression. Misoprostol was added to the patient's treatment. Subsequently, the ulcer healed and recurrence was not observed.

Conclusion: For refractory IPU, the evaluation of pathophysiological function through 24-h gastric pH monitoring may lead to the selection of an appropriate treatment. If a proton pump inhibitor and PCAB do not improve the IPU, combination treatment with misoprostol may be considered as an option.

Introduction: Gastrointestinal tuberculosis (TB), specifically gastric TB, is a rare form of extrapulmonary TB. Diagnosis proves challenging with nonspecific signs and symptoms. In this case report, a 22-year-old male came in with complaints of recurrent hematemesis and melena.

Case presentation: We found a submucosal mass with ulceration in the stomach cardia on esophagoduodenoscopy (EGD). The endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) finding was a hypoechoic submucosal lesion with a clear margin; specimens were taken using fine needle aspiration (FNA) for further histopathological examination. The result indicated granuloma of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis in pathology, suggesting that the diagnosis was gastric TB. The patient was then treated with antitubercular therapy regimen for 9 months. The previously documented mass in the stomach cardia was no longer visible on the follow-up endoscopy examination, and the patient was considered cured.

Conclusion: This case shows that gastric tuberculosis should be considered in patients with gastrointestinal symptoms, especially those living in TB endemic regions. Endoscopic examinations, such as EGD and EUS, may aid in the diagnosis of gastric tuberculosis.

Introduction: Small bowel bleeding is being diagnosed with increasing frequency with the development of capsule endoscopy.

Case presentation: We report a case of lipoma that caused hematochezia in an 80-year-old woman with ischemic heart disease receiving antiplatelet therapy and on hemodialysis for renal failure. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography scans, esophagogastroduodenoscopy, and colonoscopy failed to identify the source of hematochezia. Capsule endoscopy revealed a small bowel tumor, which was removed through laparoscopic surgery without interruption of antiplatelet agents. The small bowel tumor was pathologically diagnosed as a lipoma. There was no recurrence of the hematochezia after surgery.

Conclusion: Lipomas could cause hematochezia. With appropriate preoperative testing, comorbidity assessment, and surgical planning, we believe that surgical resection is a safe treatment option for the removal of small bowel lipomas even in patients who are on hemodialysis or are taking antiplatelet agents.

Introduction: Despite heightened risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in hospitalized patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), pharmacologic prophylaxis remains underutilized, particularly in those presenting with hematochezia. Although placement of retrievable inferior vena cava filters (rIVCF) may be considered in those with contraindications to anticoagulation and VTE risk, current recommendations from clinical guidelines are incongruent, leading to wide variation in practice.

Case presentation: This report highlights a case of rIVCF used in the management of recurrent VTEs in a patient hospitalized for persistent gastrointestinal bleeding.

Conclusion: Our case demonstrates the need for a lower threshold for initiating VTE prophylaxis in patients with active IBD, even when hematochezia is the presenting symptom. A small group of patients with recurrent VTE and clear contraindications to anticoagulation may require IVCFs, necessitating close follow-up and monitoring for filter complications.

Introduction: Involvement of the gastrointestinal system is less common in Turner's syndrome. Hepatic derangements have been reported in individuals with Turner's syndrome due to nonalcoholic steatosis, steatohepatitis, and less commonly due to viral hepatitis and alcoholic hepatitis. Portal hypertension is typically associated with cirrhosis; however, in a minor fraction of individuals, it occurs in the absence of cirrhosis. Portal hypertension is rare in Turner's syndrome and is even more rarely observed in the absence of cirrhosis in individuals with Turner's syndrome.

Case presentation: Herein, we report a case of liver biopsy-proven non-cirrhotic portal hypertension due to portosinusoidal vascular disease.

Conclusion: High index of clinical suspicion can lead to early diagnosis and treatment of portal hypertension in individuals with Turner's syndrome, reducing the burden of complications of portal hypertension.