Splenic artery aneurysm presenting as a submucosal gastric lesion: A case report

We are reporting the rare case of splenic artery aneurysm of 4 cm of diameter presenting as a sub mucosal lesion on gastro-duodenal endoscopy. This aneurysm was treated by endovascular coil embolization and stent graft implantation. The procedure was uneventful. On day 1, the patient presented an acute severe epigastric pain and cardiovascular arrest. Abdominal computed tomography scan showed an active leak of the intravenous contrast dye in the peritoneum from the splenic aneurysm. We performed an emergent resection of the aneurysm, and peritoneal lavage. Postoperatively, hemorrhagic choc was refractory to large volumes replacement, and intravenous vaso-active drugs. On day 2, he presented massive hematochezia. We performed a total colectomy with splenectomy and cholecystectomy for ischemic colitis, with spleen and gallbladder infarction. Despite vaso-active drugs and aggressive treatment with Factor VIIa, the patient died after uncontrolled disseminated intravascular coagulation.     

Endoscopic management of massive rectal bleeding from a Dieulafoy's lesion:Case report

BACKGROUND Rectal Dieulafoy's lesions(DLs) are very rare; however, they can be life threatening when presented with massive hemorrhage.CASE SUMMARY A 44-year-old female with medical history of chronic renal failure who was on renal replacement therapy presented with lower gastrointestinal hemorrhage.Physical examination revealed signs of hypovolemic shock and massive rectal bleeding. Complete blood count revealed abrupt decrease in hematocrit. After hemodynamic stabilization, an urgent colonoscopy was performed. A rectal DL was diagnosed, and it was successfully treated with two hemoclips. There were no signs of recurrent bleeding at thirty days of follow-up.CONCLUSION Rectal DLs represent an unusual cause of lower gastrointestinal bleeding.Massive hemorrhage can increase the morbidity and mortality of these patients.Endoscopic management continues to be the reference standard in the diagnosis and therapy of these lesions. Thermal, mechanical(hemoclip or band ligation), or combination therapy(adrenaline injection combined with thermal or mechanical therapy) should be considered the first choice for treatment.     

Dieulafoy＇s lesion： A case series study

AIM: Dieulafoy's lesion (DL) accounts for 1-5.8% of cases of acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB). Its mortality is high, approaching 20%, despite recent advances In endoscopic therapy. We aimed to report our experience in the treatment of DL. METHODS: A retrospective case study of all patients with DL between January 1993 and January 2003 was done. Characteristics, treatment methods, success rates and 30-d mortality of the patients were analyzed. RESULTS: Thirty-six patients were noted to have DL in the study period. Thirty-three records were available for assessment in which 35 DL were identified. The median age of the patients was 67 years with male to female ratio of 5.6:1. Significant comorbidities existed in 69% of the patients. Eighty-nine percent of the DL was found at first endoscopy, three DL at laparotomy. Significant coexistent endoscopic findings existed in 23%. Hemostasis was achieved in 88% by using adrenaline injection, or in combination with heater probe application at first endoscopy. Four cases had re-bleeding, all were successfully treated endoscopically. The 30-d mortality rate was 23%. CONCLUSION: Successful endoscopic hemostasis could be achieved in 100% of cases of DL. The overall mortality may still remain high, mainly due to the comorbidities and age of these patients.     

Gastrointestinal stromal tumor presenting as a hormonally inactive adrenal mass

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal tract. Rarely, tumors with the same histological and immunohistochemical features arise in organs having no connection to the tubular gastrointestinal tract designated as extra-gastrointestinal stromal tumors (EGISTs). In this article, we report the first case of an EGIST presenting as a hormonally inactive adrenal mass. A 68-year-old woman with a 3-month history of right abdominal pain was clinically diagnosed as having a hormonally inactive right adrenal tumor sizing 15 cm in diameter. This mass and the tightly fixed right adrenal gland were resected en bloc.Histologically, the tumor was composed primarily of monomorphic spindle cells. Mitotic figure was 2–3 per 50 high power fields. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed strong positivity for CD117 (c-KIT) and smooth muscle actin (a-SMA), but negativity for beta-catenin, CD34, pan-keratin,S-100, desmin, and H-caldesmon. Genetic analysis showed no mutations in KIT gene exons 9, 11, 13, and 17,and in exon 18 of the platelet-derived growth factor-2 receptor gene (PDGFR). The patient proved to be tumor-free at the 18-month follow-up. This case under study demonstrates that EGIST should be included in the differential diagnosis of hormonally inactive adrenal tumors.CD117 (c-KIT) immunohistochemistry should be applied in the pathological workup of soft tissue adrenal tumors.This case is an additional example suggesting that the prognosis of even a very large EGIST is not definitely grave.     

Efficacy of endoscopic therapy for gastrointestinal bleeding from Dieulafoy's lesion

AIM: To investigate the endoscopic hemostasis for gastrointestinal bleeding due to Dieulafoy’s lesion.METHODS: One hundred and seven patients with gastrointestinal bleeding due to Dieulafoy’s lesion were treated with three endoscopic hemostasis methods: aethoxysklerol injection (46 cases), endoscopic hemoclip hemostasis (31 cases), and a combination of hemoclip hemostasis with aethoxysklerol injection (30 cases).RESULTS: The rates of successful hemostasis using the three methods were 71.7% (33/46), 77.4% (24/31) and 96.7% (29/30), respectively, with significant differences between the methods (P < 0.05). Among those who had unsuccessful treatment with aethoxysklerol injection, 13 were treated with hemoclip hemostasis and 4 underwent surgical operation; 9 cases were successful in the injection therapy. Among the cases with unsuccessful treatment with hemoclip hemostasis, 7 were treated with injection of aethoxysklerol and 3 cases underwent surgical operation; 4 cases were successful in the treatment with hemoclip hemostasis. Only 1 case had unsuccessful treatment with a combined therapy of hemoclip hemostasis and aethoxysklerol injection, and surgery was then performed. No serious complications of perforation occurred in the patients whose bleeding was treated with the endoscopic hemostasis, and no re-bleeding was found during a 1-year follow-up.CONCLUSION: The combined therapy of hemoclip hemostasis with aethoxysklerol injection is the most effective method for gastrointestinal bleeding due to Dieulafoy’s lesion.     

Early gastric cancer presenting as a typical submucosal tumor cured by endoscopic submucosal dissection: A case report

BACKGROUNDSubmucosal tumor (SMT)-like gastric cancer is rare, and almost all cases undergo curative surgical treatment because the submucosal layer is usually deeply invaded by tumor cells or because histopathologic types of SMT-like gastric cancer are undifferentiated or poorly differentiated. No report has been issued on an SMT-like gastric cancer cured by endoscopic resection alone or on changes in the endoscopic features of this type of tumor over several years.CASE SUMMARYWe describe an exceptional case of a 53-year-old male with a 1.5 cm-sized SMT-like lesion covered by normal-appearing mucosa discovered by esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) at the gastric antrum. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) visualized a homogeneous, well-circumscribed hypoechogenic lesion arising from the second sonographic layer with associated subtle obliteration of the third sonographic layer. Initial endoscopic biopsy was negative for neoplasm. The patient refused to undergo an invasive procedure and was subsequently lost to follow-up. Three years after initial detection, EGD revealed the lesion had become markedly erythematous, and at 4 years after initial EGD it had increased in size to 1.8 cm and developed a central ulcer and a heterogeneous EUS echo. Finally, endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) was performed, and histopathologic examination revealed a moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma had minutely invaded the submucosal layer (invasion depth 169 μm) but without lymphovascular invasion and with negative resection margins. Fortunately, no additional surgical treatment was required. He has been followed for 4 years after ESD without any evidence of local or distant recurrence.CONCLUSIONThis report describes an extremely rare case of early gastric cancer presenting as SMT that was cured by ESD after a treatment delay of 4 years and the endoscopic changes that occurred during this period. The report highlights the importance of considering the possibility of gastric cancer when SMT is encountered in clinical practice.