Hepatobiliary and pancreatic ascariasis

Hepatobiliary and pancreatic ascariasis(HPA) was described as a clinical entity from Kashmir,India in 1985. HPA is caused by invasion and migration of nematode,Ascaris lumbricoides,in to the biliary tract and pancreatic duct. Patients present with biliary colic,cholangitis,cholecystitis,hepatic abscesses and acute pancreatitis. Ascarides traverse the ducts repeatedly,get trapped and die,leading to formation of hepatolithiasis. HPA is ubiquitous in endemic regions and in Kashmir,one such region,HPA is the etiological factor for 36.7%,23%,14.5% and 12.5% of all biliary diseases,acute pancreatitis,liver abscesses and biliary lithiasis respectively. Ultrasonography is an excellent diagnostic tool in visualizing worms in gut lumen and ductal system. The rational treatment for HPA is to give appropriate treatment for clinical syndromes along with effective anthelmintic therapy. Endotherapy in HPA is indicated if patients continue to have symptoms on medical therapy or when worms do not move out of ductal lumen by 3 wk or die within the ducts. The worms can be removed from the ductal system in most of the patients and such patients get regression of symptoms of hepatobiliary and pancreatic disease.

Portal biliopathy

Portal biliopathy refers to cholangiographic abnormalities which occur in patients with portal cavernoma. These changes occur as a result of pressure on bile ducts from bridging tortuous paracholedochal, epicholedochal and cholecystic veins. Bile duct ischemia may occur due prolonged venous pressure effect or result from insufficient blood supply. In addition, encasement of ducts may occur due fibrotic cavernoma. Majority of patients are asymptomatic. Portal biliopathy is a progressive disease and patients who have long standing disease and more severe bile duct abnormalities present with recurrent episodes of biliary pain, cholangitis and cholestasis. Serum chemistry, ultrasound with color Doppler imaging, magnetic resonance imaging with magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography and magnetic resonance portovenography are modalities of choice for evaluation of portal biliopathy. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiography being an invasive procedure is indicated for endotherapy only. Management of portal biliopathy is done in a stepwise manner. First, endotherapy is done for dilation of biliary strictures, placement of biliary stents to facilitate drainage and removal of bile duct calculi. Next portal venous pressure is reduced by formation of surgical porto-systemic shunt or transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt. This causes significant resolution of biliary changes. Patients who persist with biliary symptoms and bile duct changes may benefit from surgical biliary drainage procedures(hepaticojejunostomy or choledechoduodenostomy).

Viable Second Trimester Cervical Ectopic Pregnancy Managed Successfully with Uterine Preservation: Case Report

Cervical pregnancy is a rare clinical entity that accounts for less than 1% of all ectopic pregnancies. It results from implantation of the blastocyst in the cervical canal below the level of the internal os. Although non-tubal ectopic pregnancies account for only 5% of ectopics, they contribute to a significant morbidity. The cornerstone in the management of cervical ectopic is early diagnosis by high index of suspension and a qualified sonographer. Management options for cervical ectopic pregnancies range from conservative drug treatment to radical hysterectomy. Over the last few years, the mortality and morbidity rates of ectopic pregnancies have been reduced. This is mainly due to the early recognition of the condition and the wide availability of minimally invasive surgical procedures. We present a case of a 33-year-old woman that was 16 weeks pregnant. She presented initially with recurrent vaginal bleeding followed by minimal lower abdominal pain. Her early US scans were misleading. Several weeks later, a follow up MRI scan suggested cervical ectopic. She was managed surgically with uterine preservation.