EUS mini probes in diagnosis of cystic dystrophy of duodenal wall in heterotopic pancreas:A case report

Cystic dystrophy of the duodenal wall is a rare conditioncharacterized by the development of cysts in heterotopicpancreatic tissue localized in the duodenal wall.A 38-year-old man was admitted to the hospital for abdominal painand vomiting after food intake.The diagnosis of acutepancreatitis was initially suspected.Abdominal ultrasoundexamination revealed thickening of the second portion ofduodenal wall within which,small cysts(diameter,lessthan 1 cm)were present in the vicinity of pancreatic head.The head of pancreas appeared enlarged(63 mm×42 mm)and hypoechoic.Upper endoscopy and barium X-ray serieswere performed revealing a severe circumferentialdeformation,as well as 4 cm long stenosis of the secondportion of the duodenum.CT examination revealed multiplecysts located in an enlarged,thickened duodenal wall withmoderate to strong post-contrast enhancement.Wesuspected that patient had cystic dystrophy of duodenalwall developed in the heterotopic pancreas and diagnosiswas confirmed by endoscopic ultrasound(EUS).Endoscopicultrasound(EUS)revealed circular stenosis from the duodenalbulb onwards.A twenty megahertz mini-prope examinationfurther showed diffuse(intramural)infiltration of duodenalwall limited to the submucosa and muscularis propria of thesecond portion of duodenum with multiple microcysts withinthe thickened mucosa and submucosa.Patient was successfullysurgically treated and pancreatoduodenectomy wasperformed.The pathological examination confirmed adiagnosis of cystic dystrophy of a heterotopic pancreas.Endoscopic ultrasonography features allow preoperativediagnosis of cystic dystrophy of a heterotopic pancreas induodenal wall,with intralumina120 MHz mini probe sonographybeing more efficient in cases of luminal stenosis.     

Adenocarcinoma arising from heterotopic pancreas at the third portion of the duodenum

A 62-year-old Japanese man presented to our hospital with a history of weight loss of 6 kg in 4 mo. Imaging examinations revealed a tumor located on the third portion of the duodenum with stenosis. We suspected duodenal carcinoma and performed pancreas-preserving segmental duodenectomy. Adenocarcinoma arising from a heterotopic pancreas at the third portion of the duodenum was finally diagnosed by immunohistochemical staining. Malignant transformation in the duodenum arising from a heterotopic pancreas is extremely rare; to our knowledge, only 13 cases have been reported worldwide, including the present case. The most common location of malignancy is the proximal duodenum at the first and descending portion. Herein, we describe the first case of adenocarcinoma arising from a heterotopic pancreas, which was located in the third portion of the duodenum, with a review of the literature.     

A case of invasive hemolymphangioma of the pancreas

Hemolymphangioma of the pancreas is a very rare benign tumor. There were only five reports of this disease until March 2008. Herein, we report a case of hemolymphangioma of the pancreas with gastrointestinal bleeding due to duodenal invasion. A 53-year-old man had been admitted a referral hospital because of severe anemia due to gastrointestinal bleeding in December 2005. He was then transferred to our institute with a diagnosis of a tumor of the head of the pancreas with duodenal invasion in January 2006. No abnormalities were revealed except for anemia in laboratory data including CEA and CA19-9. Gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed bleeding at the duodenum. Computed tomography also demonstrated a heterogenous mass at the pancreatic head and suspected invasion to the duodenal wall. Ultrasonography showed a huge mass at the pancreatic head with a mixture of high and low echoic areas. Pylorous-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy was performed. The pancreatic tumor was soft and had invaded to the duodenum. The pathological diagnosis was a hemolymphangioma of the pancreas invaded to the duodenum. His postoperative course was uneventful and he was discharged on the 26th d after surgery. Hemolymphangioma of the pancreas is a very rare benign tumor. In a literature review until March 2008, we found five case reports. Major symptoms are abdominal pain and distension due to the enlarged tumor. However, we experienced a case of hemolymphangioma of the pancreas with gastrointestinal bleeding due to invasion to the duodenum. This disease is a very rare entity, but should be considered when patients have gastrointestinal bleeding.     

Pedunculated Brunner＇s gland hamartoma of the duodenum causing upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage

A case of pedunculated Brunner＇s gland hamartoma （BGH） of the duodenum causing upper gastrointestinal （GI） hemorrhage is reported. The patient was a 47-year-old man who visited our hospital for further evaluation of tarry stools and shortness of breath. Endoscopic examination of the upper digestive tract revealed a large peduncular polyp with bleeding, about 30 mm in diameter, arising from the wall of the second portion of the duodenum. GI bleeding occurred from the base of the stalk of the polyp. Endoscopic polypectomy was performed. Histological examination of the specimen revealed that the main body of the polyp contained several Iobules of mature Brunner＇s gland with areas of cystic dilatation. The surface epithelium consisted of normal duodenal mucosa with areas of focal ulceration. This polyp was diagnosed as a BGH. The symptom of tarry stools resolved after endoscopic resection. Our case shows that treatment is necessary for duodenal BGH if GI bleeding occurs.     

A case of a duodenal duplication cyst presenting as melena

Duodenal duplication cysts are benign rare congenital anomalies reported mainly in the pediatric population,but seldom in adults.Symptoms depend on the type and location and can present as abdominal pain,distension,dysphagia or dyspepsia.They have been reported to be responsible for duodenal obstruction,pancreatitis and,in rare cases,gastrointestinal bleeding.We present a case of a duodenal duplication cyst in a 43-year-old man presenting as melena.Initial gastroduodenoscopy and colonoscopy did not reveal any bleeding focus.However,the patient began passing melena after 3 d,with an acute decrease in hemoglobin levels.Subsequent studies revealed a duplication cyst in the second portion of the duodenum which was surgically resected.Histology revealed a duodenal duplication cyst consisting of intestinal mucosa.There was no further bleeding and the patient recovered completely.In rare cases,duodenal duplication cysts might cause gastrointestinal bleeding and should be included in the differential diagnosis.     

Cystic dystrophy of the duodenal wall is not always associated with chronic pancreatitis

Cystic dystrophy of the duodenal wall is a rare form of the disease which was described in 1970 by French authors who reported the presence of focal pancreatic disease localized in an area comprising the C-loop of the duodenum and the head of the pancreas.Ger-man authors have defined this area as agroove.We report our recent experience on cystic dystrophy of the paraduodenal space and systematically review the data in the literature regarding the alterations of this space.A MEDLINE search of papers publishe...     

Gastric outlet obstruction caused by heterotopic pancreas： A case report and a quick review

A 46-year-old Chinese woman presented with nausea, recurrent vomiting, and abdominal pain. Gastroduodenal endoscopic examination revealed an oval-shaped submucosal tumor at the prepyloric area on the posterior wall of the stomach. A degenerated gastrointestinal stromal tumor was suspected. Distal gastrectomy was performed and a histological diagnosis of heterotopic pancreas （HPs） was confirmed. The patient had an uneventful postoperative course and was discharged 7 d a~er operation. The patient remains healthy and symptom-free in the follow-up of 6 mo. This is a report of a case of gastric outlet obstruction resulting from pancreatic heterotopia in the gastric antrum in an adult woman.     

Multiple carcinoids in the duodenum, pancreas and stomach accompanied with type A gastritis： A case report

We report a case of multiple duodenal, pancreatic, and gastric carcinoids. A 67-year old woman was admitted to our hospital for treatment of a duodenal carcinoid. Laboratory tests revealed that the patient was associated with macrocytic anemia and hypergastrinemia, and type A gastritis was shown by gastrofiberscopy. During surgery, another tumor was incidentally found in the head of the pancreas. The tumors in the duodenum and pancreas were completely excised by pancreatoduodenectomy and immunohistologically diagnosed as gastrin-and serotonin-producing carcinoids, respectively. Pathological examination revealed that in addition to the grossly found carcinoids, there were subclinical carcinoids, one of which was an endocrine cell micronest, located in the stomach and duodenum. The tumors in the duodenum, pancreas, and stomach showed different characteristics from one another morphologically and immunochemically. Although no definitive evidence has been obtained, some sort of genetic anomaly may have been involved in this case, and hypergastrinemia due to duodenal gastrinoma may induce multiple gastric carcinoids.     

Gastritis cystica profunda in a previously unoperated stomach:A case report

Gastritis cystica profunda is a relatively rare disease, usually observed at anastomotic sites in stomachs of patients that have undergone gastric procedures. We present the rare case of an elevated lesion in the anterior wall of the gastric antrum of a 43-year-old Chinese woman who had never undergone gastric surgery and had no gastrointestinal tract symptoms. Although the physical examination and laboratory data showed no abnormalities, endoscopic ultrasonography revealed an anechoic cystic structure. Abdominalcomputed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging showed the gastric wall of the greater curvature of the antrum was markedly and irregularly thickened, and mild to moderate enhancement was observed around the lesion with no enhancement in the central portion, suggestive of a gastrointestinal stromal tumor. The patient underwent a distal gastric resection of the 2.5 cm × 1.5 cm lesion. A postoperative pathologic examination showed dilated cystic glands in the muscularis mucosa and submucosal layers and erosion of the mucosal surface of the tumor, confirming the diagnosis of gastritis cystica profunda without malignancy.     

Perforation of the duodenum by an ingested toothbrush

We report a rare case of duodenal perforation caused by an ingested 12-cm long toothbrush handle. A 22-year-old female presented with intermittent epigas- tric pain for 6 d after swallowing a broken toothbrush. The swallowed toothbrush could not be removed from the second portion of the duodenum by endoscopy. Laparotomy revealed a perforation in the anterior wall of the duodenal bulb. The toothbrush was removed via the perforation which was debrided and closed. There were no postoperative complications.     

Heterotopic pancreatitis with obstruction of the major duodenal papill--a rare trigger of obstructive orthotopic pancreatitis.

BACKGROUND: Heterotopic pancreas appears in 0.5 to 13% of autopsies. The most frequent locations are stomach, duodenum or upper jejunum. Pancreatitis in heterotopic pancreas is rarely described, and clinical symptoms caused by this heterotopic inflammation are uncommon. METHOD: We report a case of heterotopic pancreatitis localized in the major duodenal papilla causing biliary obstruction and mimicking a pancreatic head tumor. Clinically and radiologically, malignancy was suspected. Preoperative biopsies showed only fibrosis. A pylorus preserving resection of the pancreatic head was performed followed by an uneventful postoperative course. RESULT: Macroscopically, in the periampullary region on the pancreatic side a thickened duodenal wall with multiple lobules and cysts was found, compressing the common bile duct. Microscopic examination showed heterotopic pancreas with inflammatory lesions surrounding the ampulla. In the orthotopic pancreas a diffuse chronic pancreatitis with marked inflammation, fibrosis and atrophy of exocrine tissue was found. CONCLUSION: In our case it was impossible to differentiate between chronic pancreatitis and pancreas carcinoma preoperatively. Radiological findings and endoscopic biopsies were not sufficient to distinguish heterotopic pancreatitis from other tumors of the pancreatic head. Clear diagnosis could only be made by complete histological examinations after pancreatic head resection, being the treatment of choice for pancreatic head tumors of unclear dignity. The differential diagnosis of heterotopic pancreatitis as trigger of unclear enlargement of the pancreatic head is very seldom.     

Cystic dystrophy of the gastric and duodenal wall developing in heterotopic pancreas: an unrecognised entity.

Ten patients in whom cystic dystrophy developed in a heterotopic pancreas of the duodenal (nine patients) or gastric (one patient) wall are reported. All were young or middle aged white men, only two of whom were alcoholic. The symptoms were caused by intestinal or biliary stenosis, or both, secondary to the inflammation and fibrosis. Only endosonography provided strong evidence for the diagnosis in three patients. All patients underwent surgery: a pancreaticoduodenectomy was performed in eight patients. The surgical specimen showed cystic lesions of the gut wall, occurring in inflammatory and fibrous heterotopic pancreatic tissue. The pancreas proper was normal in all patients. It is suggested that cystic dystrophy is an uncommon and serious complication of heterotopic pancreas. Similar cases associated with chronic pancreatitis of the pancreas have been observed and it is suggested that this process could be responsible for some of the chronic pancreatitis encountered in young, non-alcoholic patients.     

Brunner’s gland adenoma is a rare cause of upper gastrointestinal bleeding: A case report and literature review

Brunner’s gland adenoma is a rare benign tumour that arises from Brunner’s glands in the duodenum. Lesions are usually incidentally discovered during oesophagogastroduodenoscopy. However, in some cases, they may present clinically with vague abdominal symptoms or bleeding. We present the case of a 54-year-old male who complained of progressive fatigue and intermittent melena for 3 months. Clinical examination findings were unremarkable. Routine blood tests showed microcytic hypochromic anaemia. Oesophagogastroduodenoscopy showed normal oesophageal and gastric mucosa as well as a pedunculated polyp on the anterior wall of the duodenal bulb. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) revealed a duodenal hyperechoic mass arising from the submucosal layer of the anterior wall of the duodenal bulb with central cystic degeneration. Both endoscopic- and EUS-guided biopsies were non-diagnostic. Endoscopic mucosal resection was performed after the patient provided consent. Histopathological examination revealed hyperplastic mucosal lobules containing Brunner’s glands and smooth muscle cells; malignant cells or Helicobacter pylori infection were not evident. Brunner’s gland adenoma is a rare lesion of the duodenum and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. EUS is helpful in the diagnosis and detection of the layer of origin. However, the final diagnosis is usually made after lesion removal.     

Endoscopic drainage of cystic dystrophy of the duodenal wall: report of three cases

Optimal management of cystic dystrophy of a heterotopic duodenal pancreas or cystic dystrophy of the duodenal wall has not yet been established. Surgical treatment by pancreaticoduodenectomy or by-pass procedure is indicated in patients with the most serious symptoms. Endoscopic cystic drainage is an alternative to surgery. We report three cases of cystic dystrophy of the duodenal wall successfully treated by endoscopic drainage. Symptoms disappeared immediately in all cases. No complications were observed. In one case, a second drainage was necessary 15 months after the first one. The 3 patients were free of symptoms after 6, 36, and 44 months of follow-up, respectively. No recurrence was found with CT-scan. The long-term efficiency of the endoscopic procedure must to be evaluated.     

Lanreotide acetate may cure cystic dystrophy in heterotopic pancreas of the duodenal wall

Cystic dystrophy in heterotopic pancreas of the duodenal wall is a rare but benign disease, associated in most of the cases with chronic pancreatitis. Treatment of this disease is controversial. We report here the use of a long-acting somatostatin synthetic stable analogue in the treatment of a cystic dystrophy in heterotopic pancreas of the duodenal wall: a 45-year-old man, hard drinker, was treated successfully during three months with lanreotide acetate; disappearance of cysts was confirmed by a computed tomography two months after the end of treatment.     

Role of endoscopic ultrasonography in the diagnosis and treatment of cystic tumors of the pancreas

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) allows high resolution imaging of the pancreas. EUS is a very useful technique for evaluating morphological features of a cystic tumors of the pancreas. These features include thick wall type, tumor protruding type, thick septal type, microcystic type, thin septal type and simple type. Malignant cystic lesions may present as a hypoechoic cystic/solid mass or as a complex cyst and are frequently associated with a dilated main pancreatic duct. There is some overlap between EUS appearances of non-neoplastic and neoplastic cystic pancreatic lesions. EUS guided FNA of cystic pancreatic lesions can play an important role in the differential diagnosis of these lesions and deciding about the need for surgery by evaluating cytology and tumor markers such as CEA in cyst fluid. There is some emerging data on EUS guided treatment of cystic pancreatic tumors by injection of alcohol.     

Macrocystic Serous Cystadenoma of the Pancreas

Abstract: The case of a 61 -year-old man with macrocystic serous cystadenoma of the pancreas is reported. Abdominal ultrasonography and computerized tomography showed a multilocular cystic lesion in the body of the pancreas. The major cysts ranged in size from more than 2.0 cm up to 6.0 crn. Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) showed a few small cysts in addition to the large cysts. The preoperative diagnosis was either mucinous cystic tumor or congenital cyst of the pancreas and tumor enucleation was performed. Histological examination revealed serous cystadenoma of the pancreas with macrocysts. Detecting small cysts with EUS may be useful for distinguishing this unusual tumor from mucinous cystic tumors.     

胰腺假性囊肿内镜超声图像的特征

目的：研究胰腺假性囊肿内镜超声图像的特征，探讨内镜超声在胰腺假性囊肿诊断中的价值。方法：对35例胰腺假性囊肿患者进行超声内镜检查。结果：在35例胰腺假性囊肿中，单发3l例，多发4例，共有囊肿41个；位于胰头13个，胰体3个，胰尾19个，胰体尾6个。囊壁光滑29例，毛糙6例；囊液透声良好19例，有絮状回声16例，囊内有分隔l例，囊壁有钙化l例，伴有胰管扩张7例；胰腺实质回声不均匀21例，胰实质钙化4例，胰腺萎缩2例，胰腺癌2例，胰腺未见异常6例。5例在胃肠道有压迹，其中1例压迫十二指肠降段致梗阻；胃底静脉曲张4例，2例引起消化道出血。结论：内镜超声可以清晰显示囊肿的大小、部位、形态以及与胰腺的关系，且能进行EUS引导下的穿刺检查，对假性囊肿的诊断和鉴别诊断均有重要意义。     

Groove pancreatitis and pancreatic heterotopia in the minor duodenal papilla

Groove pancreatitis is a rare form of segmental chronic pancreatitis that involves the anatomic space between the head of the pancreas, the duodenum, and the common bile duct. We report 2 cases of groove pancreatitis with pancreatic heterotopia in the minor papilla. Patients were a 44-year-old woman and a 47-year-old man. Both had a past history of alcohol consumption and presented with abdominal pain, vomiting, and weight loss caused by duodenal stenosis. Abdominal computed tomography revealed thickening of the duodenal wall and enlargement of the pancreatic head in both patients. In 1 patient, ultrasound endoscopy showed a dilated duct in the head of the pancreas. Pancreaticoduodenectomy was performed to rule out pancreatic adenocarcinoma and because of the severity of the symptoms. In both cases, gross and microscopic examinations showed fibrous scar of the groove area. The Santorini duct was dilated and contained protein plugs in both patients, with abscesses in 1 of them. In both cases, there were microscopic foci of heterotopic pancreas with mild fibrosis in the wall of the minor papilla. Groove pancreatitis is often diagnosed in middle-aged alcoholic men presenting with clinical symptoms caused by duodenal stenosis. The pathogenesis of this rare entity could be because of disturbance of the pancreatic secretion through the minor papilla. Pancreatitis in heterotopic pancreas located in the minor papilla and chronic consumption of alcohol seem to be important pathogenic factors.     

Cystic dystrophy in gastric heterotopic pancreas complicated by intracystic hemorrhage and fistulisation in the stomach - a pediatric case

CONTEXT: Cystic dystrophy of the digestive wall, a rare but well-known complication of heterotopic pancreas when it is located in the duodenum, has been mainly described in adult series. Cystic dystrophy of the heterotopic pancreas within the gastric wall has been reported in only six adult cases. To our knowledge, no pediatric case has been described. CASE REPORT: We report a 15-year-old boy surgically treated for cystic dystrophy located in the antrum, complicated by an intracystic hemorrhage and fistulisation into the stomach. CONCLUSION: The diagnosis of heterotopic pancreas must be considered in case of submucosal cystic-gastric lesions, even in pediatric cases. Although the surgical approach is not systematic, it is recommended when cystic dystrophy is symptomatic (e.g., occlusion or hemorrhage).