Unexpected diagnosis in a patient with a liver mass: A case report

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-63
Author(s):  
Mohamed Hassan Ibrahim

Sarcoidosis is a rare inflammatory disease. It is characterized by granulomatous formation. The liver is the second most common site of involvement after the lung. Sarcoidosis of the liver is usually asymptomatic. Symptomatic cases can present with jaundice, itching, elevated liver enzymes, and in rare situations, the development of portal hypertension. We, at this moment, submit a case of liver sarcoidosis in a patient with liver cirrhosis that presented with upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Upper digestive endoscopy revealed gastric varices. Ultrasonography of the abdomen revealed a liver mass that was suspicious for hepatocellular carcinoma. There is no nay cause of gastric varix in this patient apart from hepatic sarcoidosis (portal hypertension). Treatment of the patient with corticosteroids leads to the complete disappearance of the liver mass. Despite the high incidence of HCC in Egypt due to the high prevalence of HCV infection, it is crucial to search for the rare causes of hepatic masses. Keywords: liver mass; sarcoidosis, gastric varix

Author(s):  
Hany El-Assaly ◽  
Lamiaa I. A. Metwally ◽  
Heba Azzam ◽  
Mohamed Ibrahim Seif-Elnasr

Abstract Background Portal hypertension is a major complication resulting from obstruction of portal blood flow, like cirrhosis or portal vein thrombosis, that leads to portal hypertension. MDCT angiography has become an important tool for investigation of the liver as well as potentially challenging varices by detailing the course of these tortuous vessels. This information is decisive for liver transplantation as well as for common procedures in which an unexpected varix can cause significant bleeding. Results This study included an assessment of 60 cases of portal hypertension (28 males and 32 females), their age ranged from 42 to 69 years (mean age = 57.2 ± 6.63). All patients were diagnosed with portal hypertension, underwent upper GI endoscopy followed by a triphasic CT scan with CT angiographic assessment for the screening of gastro-esophageal varices. CT is highly sensitive as compared to upper GI endoscopy (sensitivity 93%) in detecting esophageal varices. Gastric varices detected by CT in 22 patients (37%) compared to 14 patients (23%) detected by endoscopy. While paraesophageal varices were detected in 63% of patients and retro-gastric varices in 80% of patients that were not visualized by endoscopy. Our study reported that the commonest type of collaterals were the splenic collaterals, and we also found there is a significant correlation between the portal vein diameter and the number of collaterals as well as between the portal vein diameter and splenic vein diameter. Conclusions Multi-slice CT serves as an important non-invasive imaging modality in the diagnosis of collaterals in cases of portal hypertension. CT portography can replace endoscopy in the detection of high-risk varices. It also proved that there is a correlation between portal vein diameter, splenic vein diameter, and number of collaterals.


2014 ◽  
Vol 143 (2) ◽  
pp. 316-324 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. F. MANSO ◽  
J. L. ROMALDE

SUMMARYThe high incidence of norovirus (NoV) infections seems to be related to the emergence of new variants that evolved by genetic drift of the capsid gene. In this work, that represents a first effort to describe the molecular epidemiology of NoV in the northwest of Spain, a total of eight different NoV genotypes (GII.1, GII.3, GII.4, GII.6, GII.7, GII.12, GII.13, GII.14) were detected. The major genotypes observed were GII.4 (45·42%) and GII.14 (34·9%), being detected in all age groups. In addition, and although most of GII.4 sequences belonged to 2006b (7·2%) and 2010 (50·35%) variants, the presence of new NoV variants was observed. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that a high number of GII.4 sequences (35·24%) could be assigned to the newly emerging Sydney 2012 variant, even during late 2010. The high prevalence of NoV GII.14 observed in this study may indicate the emergence of this genotype in Spain.


2009 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fernanda Prata Martins ◽  
Erika Pereira de Macedo ◽  
Gustavo Andrade de Paulo ◽  
Frank Shigueo Nakao ◽  
José Celso Ardengh ◽  
...  

Bleeding from gastric varices is a life-threatening condition. We report our experience with cyanoacrylate injection. Twenty three patients with portal hypertension and gastric varices underwent intra-variceal injection of a cyanoacrylate/lipiodol solution (1:1). Study endpoint was variceal obliteration. Mean follow-up was 25.3 months. Variceal obliteration was achieved in 87% of patients. Recurrence occurred in one patient (4.3%) and rebleeding in another case (4.3%). Mild abdominal pain was described in 13% of patients. Overall mortality was 21.7% and rebleeding related mortality rate was 4.3%. Our results confirm that cyanoacrylate injection is effective and safe to eradicate gastric varices.


Author(s):  
Abdal Gadir Yonis ◽  
Al Safi Ahmed Abdallash ◽  
Mona Ahmed ◽  
Ashraf Mustafa Mohammed Osman

Peri-sinusoidal portal hypertension with frequent episodes of upper gastro intestinal variceal bleeding are hallmarks of hepatic-splenic schistosomiasis (Mansoni or Japonicum). This a prospective study compromise of 306 consecutive patients at North Gezira State between 2016 to 2019, aimed to characterize the portal hypertension &to minimize potentiallysevere and deadly complications. Using  B-mode grayscale ultrasound, The images done by portable Sono- Scape- A6 machine using convex probe with frequency range from 3.5 to 5 MHz and the data analyzed by SPSS version 15.The result showed that the majority of patients were male and portal hypertension had high incidence associated with peri portal fibrosis(schistosomiasis), the result also showed that : out of 360 patients under study, there were 209(58.1%) had portal hypertension, 106(29.4%) had PPF, and 45(12.5%) were normal patients.  The study concluded that the portable ultrasound machine is the most frequently used imaging modality to assess patients for the presence of portal hypertension especially in the endemic area.


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 261-263
Author(s):  
L Tsang ◽  
J Abraldes ◽  
E Wiebe ◽  
G S Sandha ◽  
S van Zanten

Abstract Results A 41-year old Asian male, who immigrated to Canada many years ago, and who had previously been successfully treated for Helicobacter pylori infection underwent gastroscopy for investigation of dyspepsia. His gastroscopy was normal except for a large subepithelial abnormality that was noted close to the gastroesophageal junction. Routine gastric biopsies from the antrum and body were normal. Subsequent endoscopic ultrasound revealed flow through the anechoic tortuous lesion and confirmed it was a very large isolated gastric varix type 1. Abdominal CT scan revealed chronic occlusion of the portal vein, splenic vein, and the portal confluence with extensive collateralization in the upper abdomen. There was complete cavernous transformation of the portal vein. Of the numerous varices in the upper abdomen, a very large varix drained into the left renal vein and indented into the posterior wall of the fundus of the stomach which accounted for the endoscopic finding. Multiple mesenteric veins were identified that connected to varices adjacent to the inferior aspect of the pancreas and duodenum. Notably, there was no evidence of cirrhosis or chronic pancreatitis. Liver enzymes, albumin, and INR were normal. Further collateral history revealed that he was hospitalized as a neonate for pneumonia with catheterization of the umbilical vein, which is known to be associated with thrombosis of the portal vein. Conclusions Detection of congenital absence of the portal vein (CAPV) is recognized more often due to advances in diagnostic imaging. Radiologically, the absence of the portal vein in CAPV is distinguished from portal vein thrombosis by the lack of venous collaterals or sequalae of portal hypertension, such as ascites or splenomegaly. A more gradual thrombosis of the portal vein may permit collaterals to develop without acute changes and is not equivalent to portal vein aplasia or agenesis as intrahepatic bile ducts are normal. The gold standard for diagnosis of CAPV is histologic absence of the portal vein in the liver on catheter angiography. CAPV is associated with abnormal embryologic development of the portal vein and frequently presents with complications of portal hypertension or portosystemic encephalopathy or the sequalae of venous shunts, hepatic or cardiac abnormalities found on imaging. Our case is an incidentally discovered absence of the portal venous system due to chronic thrombosis with extensive collateralization and an enlarged gastric varix protruding into the proximal stomach. It is well documented that canalization of the umbilical vein in infancy is associated with portal vein thrombosis, with incidences up to 68%. This case highlights the importance of eliciting a childhood hospitalization history in cases of non-cirrhotic portal hypertension. Funding Agencies None


2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Said A. Al-Busafi ◽  
Peter Ghali ◽  
Philip Wong ◽  
Marc Deschenes

Cirrhosis is the leading cause of portal hypertension worldwide, with the development of bleeding gastroesophageal varices being one of the most life-threatening consequences. Endoscopy plays an indispensible role in the diagnosis, staging, and prophylactic or active management of varices. With the expected future refinements in endoscopic technology, capsule endoscopy may one day replace traditional gastroscopy as a diagnostic modality, whereas endoscopic ultrasound may more precisely guide interventional therapy for gastric varices.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cyriac Abby Philips ◽  
Rizwan Ahamed ◽  
Sasidharan Rajesh ◽  
Tom George ◽  
Meera Mohanan ◽  
...  

Abstract Gastric varices are encountered less frequently than esophageal varices. Nonetheless, gastric variceal bleeding is more severe and associated with worse outcomes. Conventionally, gastric varices have been described based on the location and extent and endoscopic treatments offered based on these descriptions. With improved understanding of portal hypertension and the dynamic physiology of collateral circulation, gastric variceal classification has been refined to include inflow and outflow based hemodynamic pathways. These have led to an improvement in the management of gastric variceal disease through newer modalities of treatment such as endoscopic ultrasound-guided glue-coiling combination therapy and the emergence of highly effective endovascular treatments such as shunt and variceal complex embolization with or without transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) placement in patients who are deemed ‘difficult’ to manage the traditional way. Furthermore, the decisions regarding TIPS and additional endovascular procedures in patients with gastric variceal bleeding have changed after the emergence of ‘portal hypertension theories’ of proximity, throughput, and recruitment. The hemodynamic classification, grounded on novel theories and its cognizance, can help in identifying patients at baseline, in whom conventional treatment could fail. In this exhaustive review, we discuss the conventional and hemodynamic diagnosis of gastric varices concerning new classifications; explore and illustrate new ‘portal hypertension theories’ of gastric variceal disease and corresponding management and shed light on current evidence-based treatments through a ‘new’ algorithmic approach, established on hemodynamic physiology of gastric varices.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document