A case of a 51-year old male with pulmonary valve endocarditis accompanied by aortic regurgitation, and ruptured aneurysm of Valsalva sinus was reported. Repeated blood cultures grew α-streptococcus on a single occasion. After medical treatment, resection of pulmonary valve vegetation, resection and patch closure of aneurysm, and aortic valve replacement were performed successfully. Twenty one cases of pulmonary valve endocarditis reported in Japan, including our case, were collected and reviewed. Causative organism was streptococcus in 93% of cases. No case of intravenous drug abuse was found in this series. A variety of preexisting heart diseses were found in 20 cases out of 21 (95%). All these diseases were congenital ones, such as ven-tricular septal defect, patent ductus arteriosus, pulmonary stenosis and ruptured aneurysm of Valsalva sinus. This fact means that jet lesion of pulmonary valve is a major predisposing factor of pulmonary valve endocarditis. Surgical procedures were reported in 12 cases: resection of vegetation in 4 cases, resection of pulmonary valve in 2, and pulmonary valve replacement in 5. Appropriate surgical procedures should be chosen, depending upon the activity of infective endocarditis, severity of destruction of the valve, and pulmonary vascular resistance.

Objective: Recently, holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) has been established as one method of endoscopic surgery for the treatment of benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). The purpose of our study was to assess initial clinical experiences with HoLEP at our hospital.;Patients and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted of 28 patients with obstructive symptoms due to BPH who underwent HoLEP during the 13 months between February 2004 and March 2005.;Results: The mean age of the patients was 67.4 years (range 59 to 78 years). The mean enucleation tissue weight was 24.3 g (range 2 to 95 g), and the average operation time was 94.1 minutes (range 40 to 268 minutes). The mean duration of postoperative catheterization was 3.4 days (range 1 to 6 days). The mean urine flow rate improved, and each patient's satisfaction for voiding, measured on a 5-point scale, was good. There were no major complications during the operations except one case, which was completed with TUR-P because of uncontrollable bleeding. No patients required transfusions. Long-term complications included five cases of stress incontinence (19%), four of urethral stricture (14%), and three temporary retention, two of which required re-catheterization (10%).;Conclusion: HoLEP can be performed without major intraoperative complications. It is an effective treatment for obstructive symptoms due to BPH. However, there are many postoperative problems that must be resolved, including stress incontinence and urethral stricture because of our lack of experience, with HoLEP.
Enucleation ; Prostatic Hypertrophy, Benign ; Complications Specific to Antepartum or Postpartum ; Lasers ; Holmium

Background: The WHO classified pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (pNEN) in 2010 as G1, G2, and neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC), according to Ki67 labeling index (LI). However, the clinical behavior of NEC is still not fully studied. We aimed to clarify the clinicopathological and molecular characteristics of NECs. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated the clinicopathological characteristics, KRAS mutation status, treatment response, and the overall survival of eleven pNEC patients diagnosed between 2001 and 2014 according to the WHO 2010. We subclassified WHO-NECs into well-differentiated (WDNEC) and poorlydifferentiated NEC (PDNEC), the latter further subdivided into large and small cell type. Results: The median Ki67 LI was 69.1% (range, 40% - 95%) and the median tumor size was 35 mm. 11 WHO-NECs were subclassified 4 WDNEC and 7 PDNEC, and further separated PDNEC into 3 large cell and 4 small cell subtypes. Comparisons of WDNEC vs. PDNEC revealed hypervascularity on CT, 50% (2/4) vs. 0% (0/7) (P = 0.109); median Ki67 LI, 46.3% (40% - 53%) vs. 85% (54% - 95%) (P = 0.001); KRAS mutations, 0% (0/4) vs. 85.7% (6/7) (P = 0.015); response rates to platinum-based chemotherapy, 0% (0/2) vs.100% (4/4) (P = 0.067) and median survival, 227 vs. 186 days (P = 0.227). Conclusions: The WHO-NEC category may be composed of heterogeneous disease entities, namely WDNEC and PDNEC. These subgroups tended to exhibit differing Ki67 and KRAS mutation profiles, and distinct response to chemotherapy. Further studies for the re-evaluation of the current WHO 2010 classification is warranted.

Background: The WHO classified pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (pNEN)in 2010 as G1, G2, and neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC), according to Ki67labeling index (LI). However, the clinical behavior of NEC is still not fully studied.We aimed to clarify the clinicopathological and molecular characteristics ofNECs.Methods: We retrospectively evaluated the clinicopathological characteristics,KRAS mutation status, treatment response, and the overall survival of elevenpNEC patients diagnosed between 2001 and 2014 according to the WHO 2010.We subclassified WHO-NECs into well-differentiated (WDNEC) and poorlydifferentiatedNEC (PDNEC), the latter further subdivided into large and smallcell type.Results: The median Ki67 LI was 69.1% (range, 40% - 95%) and the mediantumor size was 35 mm. 11 WHO-NECs were subclassified 4 WDNEC and 7PDNEC, and further separated PDNEC into 3 large cell and 4 small cell subtypes.Comparisons of WDNEC vs. PDNEC revealed hypervascularity on CT, 50% (2/4)vs. 0% (0/7) (P = 0.109); median Ki67 LI, 46.3% (40% - 53%) vs. 85% (54% -95%) (P = 0.001); KRAS mutations, 0% (0/4) vs. 85.7% (6/7) (P = 0.015); responserates to platinum-based chemotherapy, 0% (0/2) vs.100% (4/4) (P = 0.067) andmedian survival, 227 vs. 186 days (P = 0.227).Conclusions: The WHO-NEC category may be composed of heterogeneousdisease entities, namely WDNEC and PDNEC. These subgroups tended to exhibitdiffering Ki67 and KRAS mutation profiles, and distinct response to chemotherapy.Further studies for the re-evaluation of the current WHO 2010 classification iswarranted.

Background/Aims: The evaluation of small bowel lesions of Crohn’s disease (CD) using balloon-assisted enteroscopy (BAE) is crucial because mucosal healing is associated with a good prognosis. However, BAE procedures are invasive, requiring sedation or analgesia to reduce the patient’s pain.This study evaluated the clinical usefulness of a novel ul-trathin single-balloon enteroscopy (SBE) procedure for CD. Methods: This single-center retrospective study included 102 CD patients who underwent trans-anal SBE between Janu-ary 2012 and May 2018. Of these patients, 82 underwent enteroscopy using conventional SBE, while 20 underwent ultrathin SBE. Patients were analyzed using propensity score matching, with 20 patients per group. The median duration of the examination, terminal ileum intubation rate, median cecum intubation time, median insertion depth, adverse events, and sedated dose in each group were compared. Results: Before propensity score matching, the conventional SBE group had a larger number of surgical history patients than the ultrathin SBE group (p=0.05). After matching, the two groups did not significantly differ clinically. There were no significant differences in the mean duration of the examina-tion, cecum intubation time, or terminal ileal intubation rate between ultrathin SBE and conventional SBE. The mean in-sertion depth of ultrathin SBE tended to be deeper than that of conventional SBE (p=0.09). The use of ultrathin SBE also reduced the sedative dose during needed for enteroscopy compared with conventional SBE (p=0.005). Conclusions Novel ultrathin SBE may be less painful for CD patients than conventional SBE.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Despite improvements in endoscopic hemostasis and pharmacological therapies, upper gastrointestinal (UGI) ulcers repeatedly bleed in 10% to 20% of patients, and those without early endoscopic reintervention or definitive surgery might be at a high risk for mortality. This study aimed to identify the risk factors for intractability to initial endoscopic hemostasis. METHODS: We analyzed intractability among 428 patients who underwent emergency endoscopy for bleeding UGI ulcers within 24 hours of arrival at the hospital. RESULTS: Durable hemostasis was achieved in 354 patients by using initial endoscopic procedures. Sixty-nine patients with Forrest types Ia, Ib, IIa, and IIb at the second-look endoscopy were considered intractable to the initial endoscopic hemostasis. Multivariate analysis indicated that age > or =70 years (odds ratio [OR], 2.06; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.07 to 4.03), shock on admission (OR, 5.26; 95% CI, 2.43 to 11.6), hemoglobin <8.0 mg/dL (OR, 2.80; 95% CI, 1.39 to 5.91), serum albumin <3.3 g/dL (OR, 2.23; 95% CI, 1.07 to 4.89), exposed vessels with a diameter of > or =2 mm on the bottom of ulcers (OR, 4.38; 95% CI, 1.25 to 7.01), and Forrest type Ia and Ib (OR, 2.21; 95% CI, 1.33 to 3.00) predicted intractable endoscopic hemostasis. CONCLUSIONS: Various factors contribute to intractable endoscopic hemostasis. Careful observation after endoscopic hemostasis is important for patients at a high risk for incomplete hemostasis.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Emergencies ; Endoscopy ; Hematemesis ; Hemorrhage* ; Hemostasis ; Hemostasis, Endoscopic* ; Humans ; Melena ; Mortality ; Multivariate Analysis ; Peptic Ulcer* ; Risk Factors ; Serum Albumin ; Shock ; Ulcer

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Recent research has highlighted the importance of interactions between commensal fungi and intestinal inflammation. However, there are few studies investigating whether commensal fungi contribute to inflammation in patients with Crohn's disease (CD). The aim of this study is to investigate reveal interactions between commensal fungi and host immune cells in CD. METHODS: CD14-positive monocytes were isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy human volunteers and then differentiated in the presence of macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) (referred to as M-macrophages, M-Mϕs) or M-CSF and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) (referred to as M-gamma macrophages, Mγ-Mϕs). Cytokine production by these in vitro differentiated macrophages in response to β-(1,3)-glucan was analyzed by flow cytometry. Expression of Dectin-1 was examined using flow cytometry, western blotting, and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Cytokine production by in vitro differentiated macrophages in response to β-(1,3)-glucan was measured in the presence of an anti-Dectin-1 receptor antagonist, anti-Syr, or an anti-Fas-1 antibody. Cytokine production by lamina propria mononuclear cells (LPMCs) derived from CD patients in response to β-(1,3)-glucan was also analyzed. RESULTS: Mγ-Mϕs produced a large amount of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 in response to β-(1,3)-glucan. Dectin-1 expression was significantly higher in Mγ-Mϕs than in M-Mϕs. The increase in TNF-α production by Mγ-Mϕs stimulated with glucan was reversed by blocking Dectin-1, Syr or Fas-1. LPMCs derived from CD patients stimulated with β-(1,3)-glucan produced significantly higher amount of TNF-α than LPMCs derived from UC patients. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that commensal fungal microbiota may contribute to the pathogenesis of CD by inducing macrophages-derived pro-inflammatory cytokines.
Blotting, Western ; Candida albicans* ; Candida* ; Crohn Disease* ; Cytokines* ; Flow Cytometry ; Fungi ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-6 ; Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; Macrophages* ; Microbiota ; Monocytes ; Mucous Membrane* ; Necrosis ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

BACKGROUND: Both endoscopic ultrasound-guided celiac plexus neurolysis (EUS-CPN) and tumor ablation using ethanol are very common procedures, and the utility of these therapies has already been reported in prominent journals. However, their effectiveness appears temporary and insufficient, especially EUS-CPN. We therefore have to consider new reagents for improving the results. The present study examined the best concentration of ethanol and povidone iodine mixed with atelocollagen for more effective therapies. METHODS: The effects of the new reagents were confirmed in three live pigs. At first, we injected three kinds of reagents (including indigo carmine) in three separate areas of para-aortic tissue under EUS guidance in one pig. At more than 4 hours after injection, we checked ethanol injection sites after dissection. In next study, we performed EUS-guided injection of a total of six kinds of reagents (two kinds of ethanol, three kinds of povidone iodine, and control atelocollagen) into the livers of two living pigs. After 2 weeks, we examined tissue damage to the liver in the two pigs. RESULTS: The 75% ethanol (absolute ethanol 3.75 mL + 1% atelocollagen 1.25 mL + a very small amount of indigo carmine) was seen like blue gel, and still remained in the para-aortic tissue. Brownish areas of povidone iodine mixed with 3% atelocollagen exhibited clear, regular borders with greatly reduced infiltration into surrounding tissue compared to others. CONCLUSION: We concluded that 75% ethanol mixed with 1% atelocollagen appears optimal for EUS-CPN. Povidone iodine mixed with 3% atelocollagen may be suitable for small tumor ablation therapy.
Celiac Plexus* ; Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine Needle Aspiration ; Endosonography ; Ethanol ; Indicators and Reagents ; Indigo Carmine ; Liver ; Povidone-Iodine ; Swine

SUMMARY OF EVENT: Pneumoderma, mediastinal emphysema, and bilateral pneumothorax were developed in the patient who had undergone transesophageal endoscopic ultrasonography-guided rendezvous technique. Chest drainage was performed immediately. TEACHING POINT: Transesophageal approach carries the potential risks of severe complications such as mediastinal emphysema, mediastinitis, and pneumothorax. To prevent puncturing through the esophagus, clipping the esophagogastric junction using a forward-viewing scope before procedure is very useful. In cases of inadvertent transesophageal puncture, devices other than the needle should not be passed through the site.
Drainage* ; Endosonography ; Esophagogastric Junction ; Esophagus ; Humans ; Mediastinal Emphysema ; Mediastinitis ; Needles ; Pneumothorax ; Punctures ; Thorax