AIM: To determine the outcome of polypoidal lesions within the gall bladder (PLG) diagnosed by trans-abdominal scanning.METHODS: A nine-year (1993-2002) retrospective casenote review of all patients who underwent ultr...AIM: To determine the outcome of polypoidal lesions within the gall bladder (PLG) diagnosed by trans-abdominal scanning.METHODS: A nine-year (1993-2002) retrospective casenote review of all patients who underwent ultrasound scanning after referral to a single Upper GI Surgeon at a District General Hospital was conducted. Patients who were diagnosed with a PLG were included in our study. A database was constructed and patient details, investigations including ultrasound scan (USS) findings, treatment and histology and final diagnosis were recorded. RESULTS: Twenty-three (out of 651) patients were diagnosed pre-operatively by USS to have a polyp-likegall bladder lesion (PLG). Post cholecystectomy histological examination revealed 12 gallstones, 7 cholesterol polyps, 3 adenocarcinomas within polyps and 1 normal gall bladder. The specificity of USS in the diagnosis of PLG was 92.3%. All the true polyps were malignant. Overall USS had 66.66% sensitivity and 100% specificity in the pre-operative suspicion of malignancy. Using size greater than 10 mm as measured on USS as a cut-off, we find 100% sensitivity and 86.95% specificity with a positive predictive value of 50% in the diagnosis of malignancy in PLG.CONCLUSION: A large number of PLG are in fact calculi within diseased gall bladder. In cases of gall bladder polyps more then 10 mm in size on USS further imaging (crosssectional and/or EUS) is indicated prior to surgery. This will help in the optimal management of patients and avoid histological surprises.展开更多
Desmoid tumor is a monoclonal, f ibroblastic proliferation arising in musculoaponeurotic structures. This connective tissue hyperplasia inf iltrates locally, recurs frequently after resection but does not metastasize....Desmoid tumor is a monoclonal, f ibroblastic proliferation arising in musculoaponeurotic structures. This connective tissue hyperplasia inf iltrates locally, recurs frequently after resection but does not metastasize. Abdominal desmoid occurs sporadically, in association with some familial syndromes and often represents a clinical dilemma for surgeons. The enigmatic biology and anatomical location of abdominal desmoids make treatment recommendations diff icult. This distinct pathological entity is reviewed with a specif ic focus on aetiology and management.展开更多
Primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) of the pancreas is an extremely rare tumor that usually occurs in children or young adults. We report a case of a 33-year-old male patient with an 18 cm × 18 cm × 16 cm...Primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) of the pancreas is an extremely rare tumor that usually occurs in children or young adults. We report a case of a 33-year-old male patient with an 18 cm × 18 cm × 16 cm mass arising from the pancreatic body and tail with a one- day history of abdominal pain. Initial CT scan showed no signs of metastatic tumor spread. The tumor caused intrabdominal bleeding and the patient underwent primary tumor resection including partial gastrectomy, left pancreatic resection and splenectomy. Diagnosis of PNET was confi rmed by histology, immunohistochemistry and FISH analysis. All neoplastic cells were stained positive for MIC2-protein (CD99). Approximately one month after surgery, several liver metastases were observed and the patient underwent chemotherapy according to the Euro- Ewing protocol. Subsequent relaparotomy excluded any residual hepatic or extrahepatic abdominal metastases. Although PNET in the pancreas is an extremely rare entity, it should be considered in the diffential diagnosis of pancreatic masses, especially in young patients. This alarming case particularly illustrates that PNET in the pancreas although in an advanced stage can present with only a short history of mild symptoms.展开更多
Narrow-band imaging (NBI) is an innovative optical technology that modifies the center wavelength and bandwidth of an endoscope's light into narrow-band illumination of 415 :1: 30 nm. NBI markedly improves capill...Narrow-band imaging (NBI) is an innovative optical technology that modifies the center wavelength and bandwidth of an endoscope's light into narrow-band illumination of 415 :1: 30 nm. NBI markedly improves capillary pattern contrast and is an in vivo method for visualizing microvessel morphological changes in superficial neoplastic lesions. The scientific basis for NBI is that short wavelength light falls within the hemoglobin absorption band, thereby facilitating clearer visualization of vascular structures. Several studies have reported advantages and limitations of NBI colonoscopy in the colorectum. One difficulty in evaluating results, however, has been nonstandardization of NBI systems (Sequential and nonsequential). Utilization of NBI technology has been increasing worldwide, but accurate pit pattern analysis and sufficient skill in magnifying colonoscopy are basic fundamentals required for proficiency in NBI diagnosis of colorectal lesions. Modern optical technology without proper image interpretation wastes resources, confuses untrained endoscopists and delays interinstitutional validation studies. Training in the principles of "optical image-enhanced endoscopy" is needed to close the gap between technological advancements and their clinical usefulness. Currently available evidence indicates that NBI constitutes an effective and reliable alternative to chromocolonoscopy for in vivo visualization of vascular structures, but further study assessing reproducibility and effectiveness in the colorectum is ongoing at various medical centers.展开更多
AIM: To determine the fasting plasma carnitine ester in patients with celiac disease. METHODS: We determined the fasting plasma carnitine ester profile using ESI triple quadrupol mass spectrometry in 33 adult patien...AIM: To determine the fasting plasma carnitine ester in patients with celiac disease. METHODS: We determined the fasting plasma carnitine ester profile using ESI triple quadrupol mass spectrometry in 33 adult patients with biopsy-confirmed maturity onset celiac disease maintained on long term gluten free diet. RESULTS: The level of free camibine did not differ as the celiac disease patients were compared with the healthy controls, whereas the acetylcarnitine level was markedly reduced (4.703± 0.205 vs 10.227 ± 0.368 nmol/mL, P〈0.01). The level of propionylcarnitine was 61.5%, butyrylcarnitine 56.9%, hexanoylcarnitine 75%, octanoylcarnitine 71.1%, octenoylcarnitine 52.1%, decanoylcarnitine 73.1%, cecenoylcarnitine 58.3%, lauroylcarnitine 61.5%, miristoylcarnitine 66.7%, miristoleylcarnitine 62.5% and oleylcarnitine 81.1% in the celiac disease patients compared to the control values, respectively (P〈0.01). CONCLUSION: The marked decrease of circulating acetylcarnitine with 50-80 % decrease of 11 other carnitine esters shows that the carnitine ester metabolism can be influenced even in clinically asymptomatic and well being adult celiac disease patients, and gluten withdrawal alone does not necessarily normalize all elements of the disturbed carnitine homeostasis.展开更多
Angiosarcoma is a rare tumor that account for less than 1% of all sarcomas. Although hepatic angiosarcoma usually presents with unspecific symptoms, it rapidly progresses and has a high mortality. We report a rare cas...Angiosarcoma is a rare tumor that account for less than 1% of all sarcomas. Although hepatic angiosarcoma usually presents with unspecific symptoms, it rapidly progresses and has a high mortality. We report a rare case of primary hepatic angiosarcoma manifested as recurrent hemoperitoneum.展开更多
AIM: To evaluate the effect of different approaches in the treatment of achalasia in China. METHODS: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of Chinese literature by searching the Chinese Biomedical Databas...AIM: To evaluate the effect of different approaches in the treatment of achalasia in China. METHODS: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of Chinese literature by searching the Chinese Biomedical Database and Chinese scientific Journals database (up to March 2008). All cohort studies (controlled or uncontrolled) in which the patients were observed for more than a year were reviewed in detail. Dichotomous outcomes were reported as relative risks (RR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) for controlled trials. The efficacy in uncontrolled trials was assessed by a pooled estimate of response rate with individual studies weighted in proportion to the sample size. RESULTS: Seven controlled trials compared the effect of botulinum toxin injection (BoTx) with pneumatic dilation (PD). PD was superior to BoTx [65.2% vs 45.3%; RR 1.47 (95% CI 1.23-1.77), P < 0.0001], and had a lower clinical relapse rate (BoTx 30.2% vs PD 10%, RR 0.32 (0.16-0.65), P = 0.001). Heller myotomy (HM) had superior remission rate compared to PD [HM 94.0% vs PD 64.1%, RR 1.48 (1.15-1.99), P = 0.002]. In uncontrolled trials, the effectiveness of PD was 86.6% (23.9%) vs 94.8% (10.6%) for HM. The main complications of PD were perforation and gastroesophageal reflux disease. CONCLUSION: HM is the most effective long-term treatment for patients with achalasia in China. In the future, controlled clinical trials on the treatment of achalasia should focus on comparing laparoscopic myotomy with or without antireflux procedure,including different partial and total fundoplication techniques.展开更多
Dedifferentiated liposarcoma is a variant of liposarcoma with a more aggressive course. Mutations of the p53 gene have been found in different types of soft tissue sarcoma. It is generally accepted that p53 mutations ...Dedifferentiated liposarcoma is a variant of liposarcoma with a more aggressive course. Mutations of the p53 gene have been found in different types of soft tissue sarcoma. It is generally accepted that p53 mutations in human malignant tumors are often related to a poor prognosis. In our case, analysis of p53 gene mutation in tumor samples was performed. p53 gene mutation was observed in dedifferentiated tumor tissue samples but not in well-differentiated tumor tissue samples. It has been reported that p53 gene mutation occurs most commonly in the retroperitoneum and rarely in other anatomic locations. Herein we report a case of dedifferentiated liposarcoma located at intraperitoneum.展开更多
AIM: To assess the ability of endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) to differentiate neoplastic from non- neoplastic polypoid lesions of the gallbladder (PLGs).METHODS: The uses of EUS and transabdominal ultrasonogra...AIM: To assess the ability of endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) to differentiate neoplastic from non- neoplastic polypoid lesions of the gallbladder (PLGs).METHODS: The uses of EUS and transabdominal ultrasonography (US) were retrospectively analyzed in 94 surgical cases of gallbladder polyps less than 20 mm in diameter.RESULTS: The prevalence of neoplastic lesions with a diameter of 5-20 mm was 27.2% (10/58); 22-15 mm, 25.4% (4/26), and 16-20 mm, 50% (5/20). The overall diagnostic accuracies of EUS and US for small PLGs were 80.9% and 63.9% (P 〈 0.05), respectively. EUS correctly distinguished 12 (63.2%) of 19 neoplastic PLGs but was less accurate for polyps less than 1.0 cm (4/10, 40%) than for polyps greater than 1.0 cm (8/9, 88.9%) (P = 0.02).CONCLUSION: Although EUS was more accurate than US, its accuracy for differentiating neoplastic from non-neoplastic PLGs less than 1.0 cm was low. Thus, EUS alone is not sufficient for determining a treatment strategy for PLGs of less than 1.0 cm.展开更多
Objective: To study the causes and value of the pseudo-occlusion of the anastoraotic pathway between celiac and superior mesenteric arteries. Methods: 15 patients including 12 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma an...Objective: To study the causes and value of the pseudo-occlusion of the anastoraotic pathway between celiac and superior mesenteric arteries. Methods: 15 patients including 12 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and 3 patients with hepatic hemangioma underwent superior mesenteric arteriography (SMA) and celiac arteriography (CA) in interventional therapy. The angiographic features of the 15 cases were dynamically observed by 2 experienced radiologists in double-blind manner. Results: Similar interpretations were given by the 2 radiologists. In CA, pseudo-occlusion occurred at the bifurcation of the common hepatic artery and the celiac artery in 8 cases, at the bifurcation of the common hepatic artery and the gastroduodenal artery in 6 cases and at the bifurcation of the right hepatic artery and the celiac artery in 1 case. No occlusion was found in SMA and the angiographic wire and catheter could pass easily through the occluded regions seen in CA. Conclusion: Pseudo occlusion of the anastomotic pathway between the superior mesenteric and celiac arteries is rare phenomenon. Its cause was not identified in our cases. It may result from the hemodynamic change or abnormality of the hepatic artery. It is very important to understand the existence of pseudo-occlusion in order to guide the catheterization in interventional therapy.展开更多
We report a case of ocular myasthenia gravis(MG)accompanied by anosmia. A 76-year-old man had idiopathic anosmia of 2-year duration. Four months before consultation, he began to have drooping in the right upper eyelid...We report a case of ocular myasthenia gravis(MG)accompanied by anosmia. A 76-year-old man had idiopathic anosmia of 2-year duration. Four months before consultation, he began to have drooping in the right upper eyelid along with muscle soreness,distension, and pain in the nape. His tongue was dark-red with a thin and white coating; his pulse was wiry and slippery. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, eyelid drooping and anosmia are the main signs of liver constraint and spleen deficiency. In Western Medicine, the diagnosis was ocular MG and idiopathic anosmia. Our patient, along with the literature, suggests that anosmia may be an early symptom before MG. MG accompanied by anosmia could be a special subtype of MG according to antibody production and symptoms.展开更多
文摘AIM: To determine the outcome of polypoidal lesions within the gall bladder (PLG) diagnosed by trans-abdominal scanning.METHODS: A nine-year (1993-2002) retrospective casenote review of all patients who underwent ultrasound scanning after referral to a single Upper GI Surgeon at a District General Hospital was conducted. Patients who were diagnosed with a PLG were included in our study. A database was constructed and patient details, investigations including ultrasound scan (USS) findings, treatment and histology and final diagnosis were recorded. RESULTS: Twenty-three (out of 651) patients were diagnosed pre-operatively by USS to have a polyp-likegall bladder lesion (PLG). Post cholecystectomy histological examination revealed 12 gallstones, 7 cholesterol polyps, 3 adenocarcinomas within polyps and 1 normal gall bladder. The specificity of USS in the diagnosis of PLG was 92.3%. All the true polyps were malignant. Overall USS had 66.66% sensitivity and 100% specificity in the pre-operative suspicion of malignancy. Using size greater than 10 mm as measured on USS as a cut-off, we find 100% sensitivity and 86.95% specificity with a positive predictive value of 50% in the diagnosis of malignancy in PLG.CONCLUSION: A large number of PLG are in fact calculi within diseased gall bladder. In cases of gall bladder polyps more then 10 mm in size on USS further imaging (crosssectional and/or EUS) is indicated prior to surgery. This will help in the optimal management of patients and avoid histological surprises.
文摘Desmoid tumor is a monoclonal, f ibroblastic proliferation arising in musculoaponeurotic structures. This connective tissue hyperplasia inf iltrates locally, recurs frequently after resection but does not metastasize. Abdominal desmoid occurs sporadically, in association with some familial syndromes and often represents a clinical dilemma for surgeons. The enigmatic biology and anatomical location of abdominal desmoids make treatment recommendations diff icult. This distinct pathological entity is reviewed with a specif ic focus on aetiology and management.
文摘Primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) of the pancreas is an extremely rare tumor that usually occurs in children or young adults. We report a case of a 33-year-old male patient with an 18 cm × 18 cm × 16 cm mass arising from the pancreatic body and tail with a one- day history of abdominal pain. Initial CT scan showed no signs of metastatic tumor spread. The tumor caused intrabdominal bleeding and the patient underwent primary tumor resection including partial gastrectomy, left pancreatic resection and splenectomy. Diagnosis of PNET was confi rmed by histology, immunohistochemistry and FISH analysis. All neoplastic cells were stained positive for MIC2-protein (CD99). Approximately one month after surgery, several liver metastases were observed and the patient underwent chemotherapy according to the Euro- Ewing protocol. Subsequent relaparotomy excluded any residual hepatic or extrahepatic abdominal metastases. Although PNET in the pancreas is an extremely rare entity, it should be considered in the diffential diagnosis of pancreatic masses, especially in young patients. This alarming case particularly illustrates that PNET in the pancreas although in an advanced stage can present with only a short history of mild symptoms.
文摘Narrow-band imaging (NBI) is an innovative optical technology that modifies the center wavelength and bandwidth of an endoscope's light into narrow-band illumination of 415 :1: 30 nm. NBI markedly improves capillary pattern contrast and is an in vivo method for visualizing microvessel morphological changes in superficial neoplastic lesions. The scientific basis for NBI is that short wavelength light falls within the hemoglobin absorption band, thereby facilitating clearer visualization of vascular structures. Several studies have reported advantages and limitations of NBI colonoscopy in the colorectum. One difficulty in evaluating results, however, has been nonstandardization of NBI systems (Sequential and nonsequential). Utilization of NBI technology has been increasing worldwide, but accurate pit pattern analysis and sufficient skill in magnifying colonoscopy are basic fundamentals required for proficiency in NBI diagnosis of colorectal lesions. Modern optical technology without proper image interpretation wastes resources, confuses untrained endoscopists and delays interinstitutional validation studies. Training in the principles of "optical image-enhanced endoscopy" is needed to close the gap between technological advancements and their clinical usefulness. Currently available evidence indicates that NBI constitutes an effective and reliable alternative to chromocolonoscopy for in vivo visualization of vascular structures, but further study assessing reproducibility and effectiveness in the colorectum is ongoing at various medical centers.
基金Supported by the grant of Hungarian Science Foundation OTKA T 35026, T 49589 by the grant of Ministry of Health ETT 325/2003
文摘AIM: To determine the fasting plasma carnitine ester in patients with celiac disease. METHODS: We determined the fasting plasma carnitine ester profile using ESI triple quadrupol mass spectrometry in 33 adult patients with biopsy-confirmed maturity onset celiac disease maintained on long term gluten free diet. RESULTS: The level of free camibine did not differ as the celiac disease patients were compared with the healthy controls, whereas the acetylcarnitine level was markedly reduced (4.703± 0.205 vs 10.227 ± 0.368 nmol/mL, P〈0.01). The level of propionylcarnitine was 61.5%, butyrylcarnitine 56.9%, hexanoylcarnitine 75%, octanoylcarnitine 71.1%, octenoylcarnitine 52.1%, decanoylcarnitine 73.1%, cecenoylcarnitine 58.3%, lauroylcarnitine 61.5%, miristoylcarnitine 66.7%, miristoleylcarnitine 62.5% and oleylcarnitine 81.1% in the celiac disease patients compared to the control values, respectively (P〈0.01). CONCLUSION: The marked decrease of circulating acetylcarnitine with 50-80 % decrease of 11 other carnitine esters shows that the carnitine ester metabolism can be influenced even in clinically asymptomatic and well being adult celiac disease patients, and gluten withdrawal alone does not necessarily normalize all elements of the disturbed carnitine homeostasis.
文摘Angiosarcoma is a rare tumor that account for less than 1% of all sarcomas. Although hepatic angiosarcoma usually presents with unspecific symptoms, it rapidly progresses and has a high mortality. We report a rare case of primary hepatic angiosarcoma manifested as recurrent hemoperitoneum.
文摘AIM: To evaluate the effect of different approaches in the treatment of achalasia in China. METHODS: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of Chinese literature by searching the Chinese Biomedical Database and Chinese scientific Journals database (up to March 2008). All cohort studies (controlled or uncontrolled) in which the patients were observed for more than a year were reviewed in detail. Dichotomous outcomes were reported as relative risks (RR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) for controlled trials. The efficacy in uncontrolled trials was assessed by a pooled estimate of response rate with individual studies weighted in proportion to the sample size. RESULTS: Seven controlled trials compared the effect of botulinum toxin injection (BoTx) with pneumatic dilation (PD). PD was superior to BoTx [65.2% vs 45.3%; RR 1.47 (95% CI 1.23-1.77), P < 0.0001], and had a lower clinical relapse rate (BoTx 30.2% vs PD 10%, RR 0.32 (0.16-0.65), P = 0.001). Heller myotomy (HM) had superior remission rate compared to PD [HM 94.0% vs PD 64.1%, RR 1.48 (1.15-1.99), P = 0.002]. In uncontrolled trials, the effectiveness of PD was 86.6% (23.9%) vs 94.8% (10.6%) for HM. The main complications of PD were perforation and gastroesophageal reflux disease. CONCLUSION: HM is the most effective long-term treatment for patients with achalasia in China. In the future, controlled clinical trials on the treatment of achalasia should focus on comparing laparoscopic myotomy with or without antireflux procedure,including different partial and total fundoplication techniques.
文摘Dedifferentiated liposarcoma is a variant of liposarcoma with a more aggressive course. Mutations of the p53 gene have been found in different types of soft tissue sarcoma. It is generally accepted that p53 mutations in human malignant tumors are often related to a poor prognosis. In our case, analysis of p53 gene mutation in tumor samples was performed. p53 gene mutation was observed in dedifferentiated tumor tissue samples but not in well-differentiated tumor tissue samples. It has been reported that p53 gene mutation occurs most commonly in the retroperitoneum and rarely in other anatomic locations. Herein we report a case of dedifferentiated liposarcoma located at intraperitoneum.
文摘AIM: To assess the ability of endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) to differentiate neoplastic from non- neoplastic polypoid lesions of the gallbladder (PLGs).METHODS: The uses of EUS and transabdominal ultrasonography (US) were retrospectively analyzed in 94 surgical cases of gallbladder polyps less than 20 mm in diameter.RESULTS: The prevalence of neoplastic lesions with a diameter of 5-20 mm was 27.2% (10/58); 22-15 mm, 25.4% (4/26), and 16-20 mm, 50% (5/20). The overall diagnostic accuracies of EUS and US for small PLGs were 80.9% and 63.9% (P 〈 0.05), respectively. EUS correctly distinguished 12 (63.2%) of 19 neoplastic PLGs but was less accurate for polyps less than 1.0 cm (4/10, 40%) than for polyps greater than 1.0 cm (8/9, 88.9%) (P = 0.02).CONCLUSION: Although EUS was more accurate than US, its accuracy for differentiating neoplastic from non-neoplastic PLGs less than 1.0 cm was low. Thus, EUS alone is not sufficient for determining a treatment strategy for PLGs of less than 1.0 cm.
文摘Objective: To study the causes and value of the pseudo-occlusion of the anastoraotic pathway between celiac and superior mesenteric arteries. Methods: 15 patients including 12 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and 3 patients with hepatic hemangioma underwent superior mesenteric arteriography (SMA) and celiac arteriography (CA) in interventional therapy. The angiographic features of the 15 cases were dynamically observed by 2 experienced radiologists in double-blind manner. Results: Similar interpretations were given by the 2 radiologists. In CA, pseudo-occlusion occurred at the bifurcation of the common hepatic artery and the celiac artery in 8 cases, at the bifurcation of the common hepatic artery and the gastroduodenal artery in 6 cases and at the bifurcation of the right hepatic artery and the celiac artery in 1 case. No occlusion was found in SMA and the angiographic wire and catheter could pass easily through the occluded regions seen in CA. Conclusion: Pseudo occlusion of the anastomotic pathway between the superior mesenteric and celiac arteries is rare phenomenon. Its cause was not identified in our cases. It may result from the hemodynamic change or abnormality of the hepatic artery. It is very important to understand the existence of pseudo-occlusion in order to guide the catheterization in interventional therapy.
文摘We report a case of ocular myasthenia gravis(MG)accompanied by anosmia. A 76-year-old man had idiopathic anosmia of 2-year duration. Four months before consultation, he began to have drooping in the right upper eyelid along with muscle soreness,distension, and pain in the nape. His tongue was dark-red with a thin and white coating; his pulse was wiry and slippery. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, eyelid drooping and anosmia are the main signs of liver constraint and spleen deficiency. In Western Medicine, the diagnosis was ocular MG and idiopathic anosmia. Our patient, along with the literature, suggests that anosmia may be an early symptom before MG. MG accompanied by anosmia could be a special subtype of MG according to antibody production and symptoms.