No abstract available.
Myenteric Plexus

Intestinal pseudo-obstruction is characterized by symptoms and signs of mechanical bowel obstruction in the abscence of an occluding lesion of the intestinal lumen. The chronic forms of intestinal pseudo-obstruction are separated into primary and secondary in according to the underlying disorders. primary or chronic idiopathic intestinal pseudo-obstruction(CIIP) is not associated with systemic illness and a progressive nature with relapses and remissions. Since Dyer described the rare histologic subtype of idiopathic pseudo-obstruction, the primary abnormality is in the myenteric plexus of the bowel at first in 1969, only few cases are reported. We report a case of CIIP caused by degeneration of myenteric plexus of the colon and he was successfully treated with surgical management.
Colon ; Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction ; Myenteric Plexus ; Recurrence

Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) are the pacemalkers in gastrointestinal muscles, and these cells also mediate or transduce inputs from the enteric nervoius system. Immunolabelling of interstitial cells of ICC in intestinal wall is recently developed by using specific marker, anti-c-kit antibody. Immunohistochemistry was done for c-Kit-positive ICC network in attempt to provide a morphological basis for the mechanism regulating gastro-intestinal movement. Cryosection and whole-mount preparations of mouse ileum and colon were immunolabelled using the anti-c-Kit. Immunolabelled specimens were observed under a confocal laser scanning microscopy. According to three dimensional reconstruction study, it was found that the c-Kit-positive cells were widely distributed in the intestinal wall: (1) circular muscle layer, (2) myenteric plexus, (3) deep muscular plexus in ileum, (4) submucosal plexus and longitudinal muscle layer in colon. The characteristic profiles of ICC containing c-Kit-positive cells provide a morphological basis upon the mechanism regulating gastro-intestinal motility.
Animals ; Colon ; Ileum ; Immunohistochemistry ; Interstitial Cells of Cajal* ; Intestines* ; Mice* ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Muscles ; Myenteric Plexus ; Submucous Plexus

Appendicular schwannoma is a rare tumor originating from Schwann's cells in the Auerbach plexus. The preoperative diagnosis is difficult because the clinical features are nonspecific, and it is mostly found accidentally via a radiologic image as a tumor, mimicking malignancy. We report a case of an appendicular schwannoma coexisting with an adenocarcinoma in the lung. A laparoscopic appendectomy was done with a clear resection margin, and the immunohistochemical staining showed positive S-100 protein, which confirmed the schwannoma. The patient also underwent a left upper lobectomy of the lung. The patient has been free of recurrence for the 6 months since the operation. The laparoscopic approach could be available for treatment of an appendicular schwannoma, thus avoiding an unnecessary laparotomy.
Adenocarcinoma ; Appendectomy ; Appendix ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Laparotomy ; Lung ; Myenteric Plexus ; Neurilemmoma ; Recurrence ; S100 Proteins

Neuronal intestinal dysplasia in pediatric patients has similar clinical symptoms and often similar radiologic findings to those of Hirschsprung's disease. Yet neuronal intestinal dysplasia shows hyperplasia of the myenteric plexus for the pathology, and it requires different treatment compared with Hirschsprung disease. This disease has been reported many times in Europe but, to date, only one case has been reported in the radiologic literatures in Korea. We report here on a case of neuronal intestinal dysplasia that involved the entire colon in a two-month-old boy, and we include the radiographic findings.
Colon ; Europe ; Hirschsprung Disease ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Infant* ; Korea ; Male ; Myenteric Plexus ; Neurons* ; Pathology

Neuronal intestinal dysplasia in pediatric patients has similar clinical symptoms and often similar radiologic findings to those of Hirschsprung's disease. Yet neuronal intestinal dysplasia shows hyperplasia of the myenteric plexus for the pathology, and it requires different treatment compared with Hirschsprung disease. This disease has been reported many times in Europe but, to date, only one case has been reported in the radiologic literatures in Korea. We report here on a case of neuronal intestinal dysplasia that involved the entire colon in a two-month-old boy, and we include the radiographic findings.
Colon ; Europe ; Hirschsprung Disease ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Infant* ; Korea ; Male ; Myenteric Plexus ; Neurons* ; Pathology

A case of total aganglionic intestine in a new born infant is presented with a review of literature. Persistent vomiting, abdominal distension, failure to pass meconeum since brith were manifested. All X-rays showed multiple fluid level suggesting intestinal obstruction. In spite of colostomy with meticulous medical care, the patient expired due to cachexia. Postmortem autopsy findings were complete abscence of Auerbach's plexuses in entire intestine including esophagus, stomach, small intestine and colon.
Autopsy ; Cachexia ; Colon ; Colostomy ; Esophagus ; Humans ; Infant ; Intestinal Obstruction ; Intestine, Small ; Intestines* ; Myenteric Plexus ; Stomach ; Vomiting

Enteric duplication cysts are uncommon congenital anomalies whose embryogenesis remains unknown. We report here on an isolated enteric duplication cyst, that presents as an inguinal hernia. A 21-year-old woman was admitted with a month-long history of a palpable mass in the left groin. Radiologically, a computed tomography scan revealed a 3.5 x 2.5 cm sized cystic mass in subcutaneous layers of the left suprapubic area. Microscopically, the cystic wall resembled gut wall. The wall was composed of two distinct muscle layers with the presence of Auerbach's plexus. On examining the entire sections of the cyst wall very carefully, no epithelial lining was found on the inner surface. The submucosa was slightly fibrotic. The diagnosis was a completely isolated enteric duplication cyst.
Embryonic Development ; Female ; Groin ; Hernia, Inguinal ; Humans ; Muscles ; Myenteric Plexus ; Pregnancy ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Several motility disorders are associated with disruption of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC), which provide important functions, such as pacemaker activity, mediation of neural inputs and responses to stretch in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Restoration of ICC networks may be therapeutic for GI motor disorders. Recent reports have suggested that Kit+ cells can be restored to the GI tract via bone marrow (BM) transplantation. We tested whether BM derived cells can lead to generation of functional activity in intestines naturally lacking ICC. METHODS: BM cells from Kit(+/copGFP) mice, in which ICC are labeled with a green fluorescent protein, were transplanted into W/W(V) intestines, lacking ICC. After 12 weeks the presence of ICC was analyzed by immunohistochemistry and functional analysis of electrical behavior and contractile properties. RESULTS: After 12 weeks copGFP+ BM derived cells were found within the myenteric region of intestines from W/W(V) mice, typically populated by ICC. Kit+ cells failed to develop interconnections typical of ICC in the myenteric plexus. The presence of Kit+ cells was verified with Western analysis. BM cells failed to populate the region of the deep muscular plexus where normal ICC density, associated with the deep muscular plexus, is found in W/W(V) mice. Engraftment of Kit+-BM cells resulted in the development of unitary potentials in transplanted muscles, but slow wave activity failed to develop. Motility analysis showed that intestinal movements in transplanted animals were abnormal and similar to untransplanted W/W(V) intestines. CONCLUSIONS: BM derived Kit+ cells colonized the gut after BM transplantation, however these cells failed to develop the morphology and function of mature ICC.
Animals ; Bone Marrow Transplantation ; Bone Marrow* ; Colon* ; Electrophysiology ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Immunohistochemistry ; Interstitial Cells of Cajal* ; Intestines* ; Mice ; Muscles ; Myenteric Plexus ; Negotiating

The pathogenesis of chronic intestinal pseudoobstruction (CIP) presents a broad spectrum of etiologies. Among them, visceral neuropathy and myopathy are two major pathologic conditions. We report here on a very rare case of CIP associated with inflammatory visceral neuropathy involving the terminal ileum, appendix and entire colon in a 64-year-old woman who did not have any detectable neoplasm or family history of this disease. Microscopically, the submucosal and myenteric plexuses showed a severe and diffuse lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate with degenerative changes of the ganglion cells and nerve fibers. The pathogenesis of the inflammatory reaction is unclear for our patient, but we think that this would be a rare example of idiopathic and sporadic visceral neuropathy resulting in chronic intestinal pseudoobstruction.
Appendix ; Colon ; Female ; Ganglion Cysts ; Humans ; Ileum ; Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction* ; Middle Aged ; Muscular Diseases ; Myenteric Plexus ; Nerve Fibers