Myeloid sarcoma is a solid, extramedullary tumor comprising of immature myeloid cells. It may occur in any organ; however, the invasion of peripheral nervous system is rare. Herein, we report the case of myeloid sarcoma on the brachial plexus. A 37-year-old woman with acute myelogenous leukemia achieved complete remission after chemotherapy. One year later, she presented right shoulder pain, progressive weakness in the right upper extremity and hypesthesia. Based on magnetic resonance images (MRI) and electrophysiologic study, a provisional diagnosis of brachial plexus neuritis was done and hence steroid pulse therapy was carried out. Three months later the patient presented epigastric pain. After upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, myeloid sarcoma of gastrointestinal tract was confirmed pathologically. Moreover, 18-fluoride fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography showed a fusiform shaped mass lesion at the brachial plexus overlapping with previous high signal lesion on the MRI. Therefore, we concluded the final diagnosis as brachial plexopathy due to myeloid sarcoma.
Brachial Plexus ; Brachial Plexus Neuritis ; Brachial Plexus Neuropathies ; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Humans ; Hypesthesia ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Myeloid Cells ; Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation ; Peripheral Nervous System ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Sarcoma, Myeloid ; Shoulder Pain ; Upper Extremity

Ullrich congenital muscular dystrophy (UCMD) is characterized by congenital weakness, proximal joint contractures, and hyperlaxity of distal joints. UCMD is basically due to a defect in extra cellular matrix protein, collagen type VI. A 37-year-old woman who cannot walk independently visited our outpatient clinic. She had orthopedic deformities (scoliosis, joint contractures, and distal joint hyperlaxity), difficulty of respiration, and many skin keloids. Her hip computed tomography showed diffuse fatty infiltration and the 'central shadow' sign in thigh muscles. From the clinical information suggesting collagen type VI related muscle disorder, UCMD was highly considered. COL6A1 gene sequencing confirmed this patient as UCMD with novel c.904G>A (p.Gly302Arg) variant. If musculoskeletal and dermatologic manifestations and radiologic findings imply abnormalities in collagen type VI network, COL6A related congenital muscular dystrophy was to be suspected.
Adult ; Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Collagen Type VI ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Contracture ; Female ; Hip ; Humans ; Joints ; Keloid ; Muscles ; Muscular Diseases ; Muscular Dystrophies* ; Orthopedics ; Respiration ; Skin ; Thigh

Background: Current evidence support that the gut microbiota plays a potential role in obesity. Bariatric surgery can reduce excess weight and decrease the risk of life-threatening weight-related health problems and may also influence gut microbiota. In this study, we aimed to investigate the changes in gut microbiota before and after bariatric surgery and evaluate the association of the gut microbial shift and altered body mass index (BMI) after bariatric surgery. Methods: Between January 2019 and July 2020, stools from 58 patients scheduled for bariatric surgery were collected. Six months after bariatric surgery, stools from 22 of these patients were re-collected, and the changes in gut microbiota before and after bariatric surgery were evaluated. In addition, the differences in gut microbiota between patients with severe obesity (BMI >35 kg/m2, n=42) and healthy volunteers with normal BMI (18.8 to 22.8 kg/m2, n=41) were investigated. Results: The gut microbiota of patients who underwent bariatric surgery showed increased α-diversity and differed β-diversity compared with those before surgery. Interestingly, Blautia was decreased and Bacteriodes was increased at the genus level after bariatric surgery. Further, the Blautia/Bacteroides ratio showed a positive correlation with BMI. To validate these results, we compared the gut microbiota from severely obese patients with high BMI with those from healthy volunteers and demonstrated that the Blautia/Bacteroides ratio correlated positively with BMI. Conclusion In the gut microbial analysis of patients who underwent bariatric surgery, we presented that the Blautia/Bacteroides ratio had changed after bariatric surgery and showed a positive correlation with BMI.

OBJECTIVE: To ascertain the etiology of non-traumatic plexopathy and clarify the clinical, electrophysiological characteristics according to its etiology. METHOD: We performed a retrospective analysis of 63 non-traumatic plexopathy patients that had been diagnosed by nerve conduction studies (NCS) and needle electromyography (EMG). Clinical, electrophysiological, imaging findings were obtained from medical records. RESULTS: We identified 36 cases with brachial plexopathy (BP) and 27 cases with lumbosacral plexopathy (LSP). The causes of plexopathy were neoplastic (36.1%), thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) (25.0%), radiation induced (16.7%), neuralgic amyotrophy (8.3%), perioperative (5.6%), unknown (8.3%) in BP, while neoplastic (59.3%), radiation induced (22.2%), neuralgic amyotrophy (7.4%), psoas muscle abscess (3.7%), and unknown (7.4%) in LSP. In neoplastic plexopathy, pain presented as the first symptom in most patients (82.8%), with the lower trunk of the brachial plexus predominantly involved. In radiation induced plexopathy (RIP), pain was a common initial symptom, but the proportion was smaller (50%), and predominant involvements of bilateral lumbosacral plexus and whole trunk of brachial or lumbosacral plexus were characteristic. Myokymic discharges were noted in 41.7% patients with RIP. Abnormal NCS finding in the medial antebrachial cutaneous nerve was the most sensitive to diagnose TOS. Neuralgic amyotrophy of the brachial plexus showed upper trunk involvement in all cases. CONCLUSION: By integrating anatomic, pathophysiologic knowledge with detailed clinical assessment and the results of ancillary studies, physicians can make an accurate diagnosis and prognosis.
Abscess ; Adult ; Brachial Plexus ; Brachial Plexus Neuritis ; Brachial Plexus Neuropathies ; Electromyography ; Electrophysiology ; Humans ; Lumbosacral Plexus ; Needles ; Neural Conduction ; Prognosis ; Psoas Muscles ; Retrospective Studies ; Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

Purpose: Since 1995, the Korean Gastric Cancer Association (KGCA) has been periodically conducting nationwide surveys on patients with surgically treated gastric cancer. This study details the results of the survey conducted in 2023. Materials and Methods: The survey was conducted from March to December 2024 using a standardized case report form. Data were collected on 86 items, including patient demographics, tumor characteristics, surgical procedures, and surgical outcomes. The results of the 2023 survey were compared with those of previous surveys. Results: Data from 12,751 cases were collected from 66 institutions. The mean patient age was 64.6 years, and the proportion of patients aged ≥71 years increased from 9.1% in 1995 to 31.7% in 2023. The proportion of upper-third tumors slightly decreased to 16.8% compared to 20.9% in 2019. Early gastric cancer accounted for 63.1% of cases in 2023.Regarding operative procedures, a totally laparoscopic approach was most frequently applied (63.2%) in 2023, while robotic gastrectomy steadily increased to 9.5% from 2.1% in 2014.The most common anastomotic method was the Billroth II procedure (48.8%) after distal gastrectomy and double-tract reconstruction (51.9%) after proximal gastrectomy in 2023.However, the proportion of esophago-gastrostomy with anti-reflux procedures increased to 30.9%. The rates of post-operative mortality and overall complications were 1.0% and 15.3%, respectively. Conclusions The results of the 2023 nationwide survey demonstrate the current status of gastric cancer treatment in Korea. This information will provide a basis for future gastric cancer research.

Purpose: Since 1995, the Korean Gastric Cancer Association (KGCA) has been periodically conducting nationwide surveys on patients with surgically treated gastric cancer. This study details the results of the survey conducted in 2023. Materials and Methods: The survey was conducted from March to December 2024 using a standardized case report form. Data were collected on 86 items, including patient demographics, tumor characteristics, surgical procedures, and surgical outcomes. The results of the 2023 survey were compared with those of previous surveys. Results: Data from 12,751 cases were collected from 66 institutions. The mean patient age was 64.6 years, and the proportion of patients aged ≥71 years increased from 9.1% in 1995 to 31.7% in 2023. The proportion of upper-third tumors slightly decreased to 16.8% compared to 20.9% in 2019. Early gastric cancer accounted for 63.1% of cases in 2023.Regarding operative procedures, a totally laparoscopic approach was most frequently applied (63.2%) in 2023, while robotic gastrectomy steadily increased to 9.5% from 2.1% in 2014.The most common anastomotic method was the Billroth II procedure (48.8%) after distal gastrectomy and double-tract reconstruction (51.9%) after proximal gastrectomy in 2023.However, the proportion of esophago-gastrostomy with anti-reflux procedures increased to 30.9%. The rates of post-operative mortality and overall complications were 1.0% and 15.3%, respectively. Conclusions The results of the 2023 nationwide survey demonstrate the current status of gastric cancer treatment in Korea. This information will provide a basis for future gastric cancer research.