Upper esophageal webs, iron deficiency anemia, and esophageal cancer.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to V Dhir.
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Of the 312 cases of esophageal cancer seen over 2 years, four patients had associated varices. Three patients gave history of alcohol abuse. All had malnutrition and splenomegaly. Endoscopic biopsies were safe in the presence of varices. External radiation did not have any untoward effect on the varices. Prophylactic sclerotherapy was not required in these patients. The association between esophageal carcinoma and varices could be secondary to alcohol consumption or merely coincidental.
Five patients of medication-induced esophageal injury are reported. A history of ingestion of medications preceding the onset of dysphagia was obtained in all patients. Endoscopy revealed localised mucosal ulceration with surrounding edematous mucosa at the level of the aortic arch in four, and in the retro-cardiac esophagus in one patient. The medications involved were sustained release potassium chloride, doxycycline, ibuprofen, and an unidentified antibiotic and antihypertensive (one each). Healing of the esophageal ulcers was confirmed in all the patients by endoscopy.
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Three cases of pancreatic tuberculosis are described. The first patient presented with abdominal pain, weight loss, anorexia, vomiting, hepatomegaly, and mass in the head of the pancreas, on computerized tomographic (CT) scan. The second patient presented with low grade fever, anorexia, and weight loss, and was investigated for gallbladder disease. The third patient presented with obstructive jaundice and mass lesion in the head of the pancreas. Two patients underwent laparotomy for suspected pancreatic tumors. The findings of pancreatic disease was incidental during laparotomy in the second patient. The histopathology revealed caseating granuloma in all of them. The first patient responded well to treatment, and the second patient stopped treatment after 2 months and is well. The third patient is being followed. If malignancy can be ruled out, tuberculosis should be considered in relevant geographic areas, and a tissue diagnosis should be made.
We report a case of synchronous double primary neoplasms of the stomach and kidney. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the two primaries to be of different origin based on antigen expression.
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Gastric metastases from esophageal cancer are seldom diagnosed antemortem. Two patients who had endoscopically detected gastric metastases from esophageal cancer are reported. One patient had a metastasis developing 6 months after radiation therapy; the other developed metastasis after surgical resection of the primary tumor.
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A patient with primary peritoneal mesothelioma who had occupational exposure to asbestos 30 years ago is reported. The disease was progressive and the patient died 12 months after the diagnosis.
Dysplastic alteration of mucosa may occur in flat or raised mucosal lesions. Over 95% of dysplastic foci occur in flat mucosa. Flat dysplasia is occasionally visible macroscopically as areas of discolouration, velvety-villous appearance, or peculiar fine nodular thickening. The prevalence of macroscopically visible flat dysplasia is unknown. Raised dysplasia or DALM (dysplasia associated lesion or mass) occurs in less than 5% of patients with dysplasia. DALMs are polypoid structures of firm consistency, discoloured mucosa and irregular nodularity. DALMs cannot be distinguished endoscopically from early malignancy. The presence of DALMs has an ominous significance.
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During a 2-year period, 103 consecutive patients undergoing dilation of esophageal strictures induced by radiation therapy for cancer of the esophagus were prospectively studied. The length of the strictures ranged from 0.5 to 13.5 cm (median, 5 cm) and the luminal diameter from 1 to 11 mm (median, 6 mm). Patients were referred for dilation from 2 weeks to 5 years (median, 2 months) after completion of radiation therapy. The guide wire was placed using fluoroscopy in 21 patients, endoscopy in 61, and a combination of endoscopy and fluoroscopy in 21. At least one dilator larger than the stricture could be passed in 101 (98%) patients. Five strictures were dilated to 16 mm, 29 to 15 mm, 28 to 14 mm, 16 to 12.8 mm, and 23 to 12 mm or less during the initial procedure. Development of complications and severe resistance were the limiting factors for optimal dilation. Relief of dysphagia was adequate in 66% of patients. The duration of dysphagia relief was 3 to 84 weeks (median, 16 weeks). Complications included persistent pain in 7 patients, unexplained fever in 2, perforation in 2, and delayed tracheo-esophageal fistula in 1. Two patients died of treatment-related complications. Repeated dilation was required in 32 of the 75 patients on long-term follow-up. We conclude that adequate palliation of dysphagia can be achieved by dilation in two-thirds of patients with radiation therapy-induced strictures of the esophagus. Dilation of these strictures is relatively simple and safe if performed with care.
Pancreatic cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths in developed countries. Gall bladder cancer is very common in South American countries, around the Mediterranean and in Japan. A majority of patients with these cancers receive only palliative therapy in spite of recent advances in investigation and surgery. Their poor prognosis and increasing incidence in India necessitate a better epidemiologic approach towards their control. This review is based on epidemiological data, publications and abstracts from India. Population-based data reveal that the incidence of gall bladder cancer is very high in northern Indian cities (5-7 per 100,000 women) and low (0-0.7 per 100,000 women) in southern India. The distribution suggests a high-incidence region comprising Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa, West Bengal and Assam. The cancer is twice more common in women and is the leading cancer among digestive cancers in women in the northern Indian cities of Delhi and Bhopal. There are few analytical data to hypothesize why this geographical predisposition. The high incidence is also observed in north Indian immigrants to the United Kingdom. The incidence of pancreatic cancer is low (0.5-2.4 per 100,000 men and 0.2-1.8 per 100,000 women) in most parts of India. Somewhat higher rates are seen in the male urban populations of western and northern India. Studies from Kerala support an association between tropical pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. Time trends reveal an increase in the incidence of gall bladder and pancreas cancers; the increase in the former is alarming. We estimate that the approximate annual cancer burden of India in 2001 would include 17,730 cases of gallbladder cancer and 14,230 of pancreatic cancer. Multi-center studies are needed to identify potentially preventable risk factors associated with gall bladder and pancreatic cancer in India.
Advanced obstructive colorectal cancer is routinely treated by surgical colostomy. Self-expandable metal stents are a promising alternative. We report the use of an expandable metal stent to relieve colonic obstruction in an elderly lady with advanced colorectal malignancy.
A 10-year-old boy was admitted with cardiac tamponade. Initial pericardiocentasis yielded pus. A subxiphoid tube-pericardiostomy was done and thick, purulent material was drained out. Subsequently, pericardiectomy was undertaken as features of pericardial constriction persisted. At surgery, however, an intrapericardial mass was discovered. Successful excision was performed and the patient made an uneventful recovery. Histopathology of the mass revealed features of an intrapericardial teratoma. Rarity of the lesion, and a hitherto unreported mode of presentation make this case worthy of documentation.
BACKGROUND: Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy for long term enteral nutrition is often indicated in patients with head, neck and oesophageal cancer but despite its growing popularity elsewhere, it is not widely used in India. METHODS: Between March 1990 and July 1991, we performed percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy in 54 patients. The primary sites of tumour were the hypopharynx (11), oral cavity (7), tongue (7), cricopharynx (7), oesophagus (16) and other sites (6). The indications were difficulty in swallowing following treatment (22), preoperative nutritional support (7) and terminal care (21). In 49 patients, it was performed by the 'pull' technique in the endoscopy room under local anaesthesia and mild sedation. Indigenously prepared tubes and blenderised foods were used. Fifteen patients underwent dilatation of the tumour prior to the gastrostomy. RESULTS: The procedure was successful in 50 (93%) patients. Three failures were caused by obstructing tumours and one by a previous gastric resection. Feeding was started 18 to 24 hours after the procedure in 48 patients. No major complications occurred but minor complications were seen in 11 (22%) patients. Fourteen patients had their gastrostomy tube removed after 2 to 6 months of use while 15 patients undergoing therapy or with persistent dysphagia were on gastrostomy feeds for 1 to 6 months. Of the 21 terminally ill patients, 8 died, 6 were lost to follow up and 7 were on feeds for 1 to 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy is a simple, safe and effective method for long term enteral feeding. Indigenous tubes and home made blenderised foods are adequate substitutes for the more expensive commercial kits and enteral formulations.