O P Dhakal

Phytobezoar leading to gastric outlet obstruction in a patient with diabetes

Gastroparesis is a condition which results in delayed gastric emptying without gastric outflow tract obstruction. Gastrointestinal involvement in diabetes can present in various forms such as oesophageal dysmotility, gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, gastroparesis, enteropathy, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and glycogenic hepatopathy. Gastroparesis is the most common gastric motility disorder complicating long-standing diabetes. It can sometimes lead to mechanical obstruction as a result of formation of bezoars. Phytobezoars are the most common type of bezoar and are composed of indigestible food, vegetable fibre or seeds. Poor pyloric function and decreased acid formation predisposes phytobezoars formation in patients with diabetic gastroparesis. An 80-year-old patient with diabetes in our presentation developed gastric outlet obstruction due to impaction of phytobezoar over the pylorus.

Gastric xanthelasma: an unusual endoscopic finding.

Gastric xanthelasma is a rarely encountered finding in upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy. It is characterised by yellowish-white plaque in the stomach especially in the antrum or the pyloric region. Histologically it consists of foamy macrophages in the lamina propria. It is a benign condition but its appearance mimics malignancy and it is found to be associated with various conditions, some of which are considered premalignant so, histological confirmation is necessary. We present a case of a 44-year-old man who presented to the medicine outpatient department for intermittent pain in epigastrium for the last 2 years. His physical examination was normal. His haematological and biochemical investigations were also normal. His upper GI endoscopy revealed yellowish-white plaque in fundus of the stomach, which was diagnosed as gastric xanthelasma by histological examination with associated chronic gastritis.

Pancreatitis in scrub typhus: a rare complication.

Scrub typhus is a zoonosis transmitted by a trombiculid mite which introduces bacteria of Orientia tsutsugamushi by its bite. The acute febrile illness is characterised by eschar at the site of the bite with maculopapular rashes and local and/or generalised lymphadenopathy. The disease is endemic in the tsutsugamushi triangle. Sikkim, a small Himalayan north-eastern state, is also not unaffected where outbreaks of the disease have been reported. The clinical spectrum of the disease ranges from mild to fatal depending on the virulence of the bacterial strain, susceptibility of the host and promptness of the treatment. In severe cases, there can be multiple organ involvement. Pancreatitis is a serious and unusual complication of this disease, which was seen in our presentation. A 22-year-old man, diagnosed to have scrub typhus, developed pancreatitis in the second week of the illness and responded well to medical treatment.

Domperidone-induced dystonia: a rare and troublesome complication

Domperidone is a commonly prescribed antiemetic drug but its side effects are rarely seen. Extrapyramidal side effects are a very rare complication of the drug occurring in 1/10 000 population. They usually occur in infants and very young children due to a poorly developed blood–brain barrier. We report a case of acute dystonia in a 13-year-old boy induced by domperidone. The boy was treated for viral fever and was started on domperidone 30 mg/day, sustained release form (0.7 mg/kg/day), for persistent vomiting along with other supportive treatment. On the fourth day of treatment, although the fever and vomiting subsided, the child developed oromandibular dystonia despite giving the drug in the recommended dose. Fortunately, drug-induced dystonias are a reversible condition and the child improved in 7–8 days after discontinuation of the drug. There was no recurrence at 1 month follow-up. Usually, dystonic reactions do not threaten life but are troublesome and life altering, so judicious use of the drug is advised.

Polycystic kidney disease and chronic renal failure in tuberous sclerosis

Tuberous sclerosis is a rare genetic disease which leads to formation of benign tumours in the brain and other organs of the body. It is a multisystem disease with various clinical manifestations. Renal angiomyolipomas are the most common renal manifestations whereas renal cell carcinoma is the least. Renal cysts are found in around 20% of the patients but polycystic kidney disease is present in less than 2% cases and is relatively rare manifestation of the disease. We present a case of tuberous sclerosis in a 60-year-old man who presented to the medicine outpatient department for routine evaluation of his hypertension. He was diagnosed as tuberous sclerosis. His ultrasound and CT scan of abdomen revealed polycystic kidney disease. His kidney function test and urine analysis were suggestive of chronic kidney disease.

Large gastric ulcer: Result of foreign body-induced giant cell reaction

A granuloma is an organized and compact mass of mature mononuclear phagocytes. Granulomas are reported to form in various organs and sites of the body. Granulomas in stomach are rarely encountered. Foreign body granulomas are formed as a result of reaction of the tissues to a foreign body which is immunologically inert. Food granuloma is type of foreign body granuloma which is formed in response to food particles like vegetable matters or cereals. These granulomas can be distinguished from other types of granulomas with ease because of their characteristic morphologic features. We report the case of a 29-year-old male who developed a large gastric ulcer as a result of foreign body-induced giant cell reaction, which was probably of vegetative origin. He was treated with the regimen for Helicobacter pylori , rabeprazole and sucralfate. This treatment resulted in partial healing of the ulcer with persistence of food granuloma; hence, the patient was referred for surgery.