Endoscopic Management of Acute Cholecystitis and Cholangitis Caused by Limy Bile

Limy bile is a relatively rare condition in which a radiopaque material is visible in the gallbladder, extending rarely into the bile duct, on plain radiography. Acute cholangitis or cholecystitis caused by limy bile is a very rare condition. There are no definite treatment guidelines for limy bile, but in most cases with cholangitis or cholecystitis, laparoscopic cholecystectomy has been the preferred treatment. We report a case of limy bile with biliary symptoms that was treated only with an endoscopic procedure

Two Cases of Adrenal Abscesses Following Histoacryl® (N-butyl-2-cyanocrylate) Injection

We report two cases of adrenal abscesses that occurred following a Histoacryl® (N-butyl-2-cyanocrylate) injection for variceal bleeding. Patients had been diagnosed with alcoholic liver cirrhosis and gastric varices bleeding and received a Histoacryl® injection for the variceal bleeding. Patients had fever and abdominal tenderness and were diagnosed with an adrenal abscess at 2 months following the Histoacryl® injection. One patient received open drainage and the other underwent percutaneous drainage. When a patient has previously been injected with Histoacryl® for the treatment of variceal bleeding and presents with fever, an evaluation for an unusual complication such as adrenal abscess is recommended

Toll-like Receptors 2 and 4 and Their Mutations in Patients with Otitis Media and Middle Ear Effusion

ObjectivesToll-like receptors (TLRs) detect microbial infections and they can directly induce innate host defense responses. TLR 2 has been shown to be primarily involved in the recognition of peptidoglycans and lipoteichoic acid of gram positive bacteria. TLR 4 recognizes lipopolysaccharides and lipoteichoic acids from both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. Both mutations lead a reduced capacity to elicit inflammation and they increase the risk for gram-positive and negative infections. This study was performed to investigate the expressions of TLR 2 and 4 and their mutations in patients suffering with otitis media and middle ear effusion.MethodsMiddle ear fluid samples were collected from 40 otitis media effusion (OME) patients who had ventilating tubesinserted. Bacteria in the effusion fluid were detected by standard bacterial culture. The secreted IgG, IgA and IgM were measured by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. TLR 2 and 4 were assessed by performing RT-PCR. The genomic DNA from each patient was isolated from the middle ear fluid samples that were collected from 60 OME patients, and the presence of mutations was determined by performing restriction digestion and DNA sequencing analysis.ResultsAmong the 40 middle ear fluid samples, bacteria were detected in 13 middle ear fluid samples. The amounts of IgM, IgA, and IgG were 151.20±60.94 ng/mL, 21.59±7.96 ng/mL and 11.55±16.98 ng/mL, respectively. TLR 2 and 4 were expressed in the middle ear fluid and the expression of TLR 2 was higher than that of TLR 4. However, there was no correlation between the expressions of TLR 2 and 4, and the concentration of immunoglobulin or the presence of bacteria (P>0.05). There ware no mutations of TLR 2 (Arg753Gln, Arg677Trp) and TLR 4 (Asp299Gly, Thr399Ile).ConclusionTLR 2 and 4 were expressed in all the middle ear fluid samples of OME, but the mutations of TLR 2 and 4 were not detected. TLR 2 and 4 may play a vital role in the immunological responses of patients with OME

Development of Biliary and Enteral Stents by the Korean Gastrointestinal Endoscopists

Stenting in the gastrointestinal tract is a common procedure used for palliation of obstruction in the enteral and biliary tract. Today, stenting of malignant and benign strictures is performed at almost every major tertiary hospital in Korea. Moreover, Korea has become a major global supplier of cutting edge technology in the field of self-expanding metal stents. However, the history of stenting in Korea is relatively short and was far behind that of other nations such as Japan and Germany. The authors are humbled and gratified to have been able to observe the development and application of these stents in Korea, first hand. In this article, the authors review the overall history of stenting with a specific focus on the development of stenting in Korea. The development of esophageal, gastroduodenal, biliary, and colonic stents in Korea are reviewed in this article from a chronological and historical point of view, and a personal account of some of the significant moments of stent development in Korea are described