Takayasu's arteritis and ulcerative colitis in a young non-Asian woman: a rare association.

The association between ulcerative colitis and Takayasu's arteritis has been well described in patients of Asian ethnicity. We present the third non-Asian case reported in the English literature, of a 37-year-old woman with a 4-year history of Takayasu's arteritis, who developed idiopathic ulcerative colitis. She was found to carry the human leucocyte antigens HLA-B52 and DR2, which have been previously noted to be associated with these inflammatory conditions, mainly in the Japanese population.

The administration of cisapride as an adjuvant to PEG-electrolyte solution for colonic cleansing: a double-blind randomized study.

Background/aims: Traditional bowel preparation before colonoscopy involves lavage with approximately 4L of polyethylene glycol (PEG)-electrolyte solution. Only a few studies have been published evaluating the use of cisapride in routine bowel preparation.

Methodology: We conducted a blinded, placebo-controlled trial with the prokinetic agent, cisapride, in addition to standard PEG-electrolyte lavage.

Endoscopic snare resection of an intrapapillary pedunculated villous adenoma presenting as acute recurrent pancreatitis.

Tumors of the papillary region are an unusual and heterogeneous group of neoplasms that arise from the major papilla, the ampulla of Vater, and the peripapillary duodenum. Benign adenomas of the papilla of Vater are an increasingly recognized condition in those with familial adenomatous polyposis syndromes as well as sporadic cases. Papillary adenoma is a recognized but rare cause of acute pancreatitis.

Dieulafoy-like lesion of the colon presenting with massive lower gastrointestinal bleeding.

The Dieulafoys lesion is a rare cause of severe gastrointestinal hemorrhage. The lesion is usually located in the stomach, although it may occur anywhere in the gastrointestinal tract. It is characterized by severe bleeding from a minute submucosal arteriole that bleeds through a punctate erosion in an otherwise normal mucosa.

Pyogenic cholangitis after inadvertent submucosal contrast injection in the papilla of Vater in a patient with cholestatic hepatitis.

Common bile duct stones and tumors constitute the leading cause of acute biliary tract obstruction and cholangitis. Septic complications after diagnostic endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) are very unusual in unobstructed bile ducts. There are only three reported cases of patients without evidence of biliary tract disease who developed cholangitis and liver abscesses due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Endobiliary endoprosthesis without sphincterotomy for the treatment of biliary leakage.

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with biliary drainage is an effective therapeutic tool in the management of bile duct injuries associated with laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Placement of a stent or a nasobiliary drain in the common bile duct, or biliary sphincterotomy, is an effective treatment for bile leaks and obviates the need for otherwise complex biliary tract surgery. Although there are no controlled comparative trials, placement of a 7-, 8.

Double Dieulafoy-like lesion in the stomach.

Dieulafoy's lesion is an uncommon cause of major gastrointestinal bleeding and may be difficult to recognize. It consists of an arteriole that protrudes through a tiny mucosal defect usually within 6 cm of the gastroesophageal junction on the lesser curve of the stomach. Despite widespread awareness of this entity, it remains a diagnostic challenge for gastroenterologists because of its small size and hidden location.

Hemolysis caused by G-6PD deficiency after a difficult and prolonged therapeutic endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography.

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), together with its substantial therapeutic capabilities, carries a higher potential for complications than other endoscopic procedures. Common major complications specific to pancreaticobiliary instrumentation include pancreatitis, post-sphincterotomy hemorrhage, perforation, and cholangitis with or without systemic sepsis. Two patients underwent therapeutic ERCP for recurrent episodes of abdominal pain and elevation of hepatobiliary enzymes.

Black esophagus induced by severe vomiting in a healthy young man.

Black esophagus is an uncommon entity that has been described only a few times previously. It is defined as a dark pigmentation of the esophagus associated with histologic mucosal necrosis. Most cases have no known etiology, although ischemia, nasogastric tube trauma, infection, gastric outlet obstruction, gastric volvulus, and hypersensitivity to antibiotics have all been suggested as possible causes.

Successful treatment of duodenal bulb obstruction caused by a gallstone (Bouveret's syndrome) after endoscopic mechanical lithotripsy.

Because of acute symptoms in the upper abdomen, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was performed in a 68-year-old man. A large perforated gallstone was embedded in the duodenum, causing complete obstruction of the duodenal bulb. The stone was crushed successfully by endoscopic mechanical lithotripsy.