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Eosinophilic gastroenteritis is a fairly uncommon condition. It has been suggested that allergic reactions may have played a role in the development of this illness. The case of a 66-year-old woman who had a total hysterectomy due to a right ovarian tumor is described here. At this operation, a sodium hyaluronate carboxymethylcellulose bioresorbable membrane (Seprafilm ® ) was used. She was admitted to our hospital 47 days after the operation with abdominal pain. Laboratory data indicated elevated WBC (29450/μl) and eosinophilia (69.2%), and CT scan showed thickening of intestinal wall and ascites around there. Ascites cytology showed a significant increase of eosinophils (94.0%). She began taking oral steroids after being diagnosed with eosinophilic gastroenteritis, and her symptoms improved quickly. Despite the fact that Seprafilm ® was thought to be a reliable and safe tool, it was suggested that a foreign body reaction to Seprafilm ® could lead to eosinophilic gastroenteritis.

A woman in her 60s was referred to our hospital with a superficial depressed lesion measuring 8mm in diameter on the lesser curvature of the lower gastric body. Initial biopsy of the lesion indicated a moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma. Endoscopic submucosal dissection was performed, and pathological examination revealed a tumor comprised of adenocarcinoma and neuroendocrine carcinoma with submucosal infiltration, with the final pathological diagnosis being gastric mixed adenoneuroendocrine carcinoma (MANEC). Laparoscopic gastrectomy was subsequently performed. No recurrence was observed after 18 months. Most neuroendocrine carcinomas including MANEC are diagnosed at an advanced stage and require surgical resection. Here we report a case of gastric MANEC mimicking early gastric cancer that was removed en bloc via endoscopic submucosal dissection.

A woman in her 60s was referred to our department with advanced rectal cancer and multiple unresectable metastases of the liver and peritoneum. She had been diagnosed with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) in her 20s, with a platelet count maintained at approximately 1.0×10(4)/μL by prednisolone; on admission, her platelet count was 0.9×10(4)/μL. Romiplostim, a thrombopoietin receptor agonist, was administered prior to chemotherapy. Her platelet count increased to approximately 10.0×10(4)/μL during chemotherapy with oxaliplatin plus capecitabine, and she developed deep venous thrombosis requiring inferior vena cava filter placement and anticoagulation. No other severe adverse events occurred. There is no standard regimen for the treatment of solid tumors in patients with ITP. This is the first reported case of the concomitant use of romiplostim and chemotherapy for advanced rectal cancer. We believe that romiplostim can effectively salvage the platelet count in emergency situations such as during chemotherapy.

A 48-year-old man with locally advanced pancreatic cancer underwent combined treatment with gemcitabine and proton radiation therapy. Because of subsequent obstruction of the common bile duct, a metallic biliary stent was placed and he received further gemcitabine chemotherapy. During chemotherapy, he developed an acute abdomen with a sudden-onset of tarry stool and jaundice. Gastroduodenoscopy revealed hemobilia from the biliary metallic stent. Contrast-enhanced abdominal computed tomography revealed the presence of a pseudoaneurysm arising from the right hepatic artery adjacent to the top of the stent. Hemostasis of the right hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm was achieved via transcatheter arterial embolization using cyanoacrylate.

A 30-year-old man was admitted to Osaka University Hospital for the treatment of gastric varices and assessment of indication for liver transplant. When he was 6 years old, liver dysfunction was pointed out and diagnosed as chronic inactive hepatitis by liver biopsy. At 13 years of age, the second liver biopsy proved congenital hepatic fibrosis (CHF). The third liver biopsy was performed when he was 30 years old, and the progression of hepatic fibrosis was confirmed. Besides CHF, we recognized oligophrenia, cerebellar ataxia, hypoplasia of cerebellar vermis and coloboma, leading to the diagnosis of COACH syndrome. COACH syndrome is quite rare, and our case is especially valuable because he was diagnosed as an adult case and the progression of hepatic fibrosis could be followed through several liver biopsies. We should be aware of COACH syndrome in mind when we encounter CHF patients.

A man in his thirties with epigastric pain was referred to our hospital for detailed examinations. Abdominal computed tomography showed an abdominal cystic lesion with a longest dimension of 7 cm, located behind the stomach. Endoscopic ultrasonography through the stomach showed a cystic lesion and the wall of the lesion revealed continuity to the proper muscle layer of the gastric wall. Therefore, gastric duplication was suspected and the cystic lesion was resected because of the possibility of malignancy and also for a definitive diagnosis. The cystic lesion consisted of columnar ciliated epithelium, seromucous glands, smooth muscle and cartilage and was diagnosed as a bronchogenic cyst. Bronchogenic cysts are sometimes encountered in the thoracic or mediastinal area, but abdominal bronchogenic cysts, such as the present case, are extremely rare.

A 50-year-old man underwent radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for a hepatocellular carcinoma, located in the S8 area adjacent to the diaphragm. 20 months later, he was admitted because of severe right hypochondralgia and dyspnea. Computed tomography revealed a prolapsed large intestine through a defect on the right diaphragm, and emergency surgery was performed. Patients who have undergone RFA for a hepatic tumor adjacent to the diaphragm should be carefully followed up for possible diaphragmatic hernia, even after a long postoperative interval.

The simplified international diagnostic criteria for autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), re-revised by the International AIH Group in 2008, were investigated in 114 patients with AIH from 15 centers in Japan. While applying of the criteria, we had to pay attention to anti-nuclear antibody measurement methods, and liver histology scoring. Definite and probable AIH were diagnosed in 83 and 22 patients, respectively. The criteria were found to be useful for the diagnosis of AIH in Japan. However, 9 patients who did not meet the diagnostic criteria showed normal immunoglobulin G levels or were negative for autoantibodies. As the criteria were unreliable for diagnosing such atypical cases in the present series, we speculated that we should not rely solely on these, criteria and take a more holistic approach to diagnosis in such cases.

A man in his seventies visited our hospital due to positive a fecal occult blood test. Colonoscopy showed a submucosal tumor in the rectum covered with reddish and irregular mucosa. Pathological examination of the biopsy specimen revealed well differentiated adenocarcinoma. The tumor was resected, and pathological examination showed carcinoid and adenocarcinoma components coexisting and mixed with each other. Because a previous colonoscopy had shown a submucosal tumor with a smooth surface, this case was diagnosed as a collision tumor of adenocarcinoma which developed on a carcinoid.

A 47-year-old man who was diagnosed as Crohn's disease at the age of 27 became aware of a mass on the forehead. CT and PET scan revealed many scattered tumors in his body. The CEA level was 4424 ng/ml. Primary lesion was not detected by the surveillance of whole gastro-intestinal tract. Liver tumor biopsy samples were histologicaly analyzed and were diagnosed as adenocarcinoma. Further immunohistochemical analysis revealed that the biopsy material had colonic character determined by positive CK20 and negative CK7 staining. Therefore, we performed 12 cycles of mFOLFOX6 chemotherapy. It was effective with the reduced size of tumors and the decreased level of CEA.