Digestive System Diseases Commons^™

Comparing Efficacy Of Lumen-Apposing Stents To Plastic Stents In The Endoscopic Management Of Mature Peripancreatic Fluid Collections: A Single-Center Experience, Matthew J. Fasullo, Yasir Al-Azzawai, Joan Kheder, Jeffrey Abergel, Wahid Y. Wassef

Open Access Articles

Introduction: Mature peripancreatic fluid collection (MPFC) is a known and often challenging consequence of acute pancreatitis and often requires intervention. The most common method accepted is the "step-up approach," which consists of percutaneous drainage followed, if necessary, by minimally invasive retroperitoneal necrosectomy. Our paper aims to distinguish between plastic stents and lumen-apposing stents in the endoscopic management of MPFC in terms of morbidity, mortality, and haste of fluid collection resolution.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed at UMass Memorial Medical Center in patients with a diagnosis of MPFC. Utilizing medical records, clinical data, radiology, as well as endoscopic evidence, patients ...

Unique Surgical Approach To A Twisted Ileal-Anal Pouch, Hannah Buettner, Maria X. Kiely, Mengdi Yao, James Yoo, Lilian Chen

Open Access Articles

Total proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis can restore gastrointestinal continuity in patients requiring colectomy for ulcerative colitis, however, it can be associated with high morbidity. Reoperation for pouch-related complications is technically challenging and often leads to deterioration of pouch function or need for permanent stoma. We report a case of acute on chronic small bowel obstruction secondary to a 360-degree twist in the small bowel introduced during creation of the ileal-anal pouch. Our novel approach at repair has not been reported in past literature which included resection and re-anastomosis of the small bowel proximal to the pouch allowing for pouch ...

Radical Social Ecology As Deep Pragmatism: A Call To The Abolition Of Systemic Dissonance And The Minimization Of Entropic Chaos, Arielle Brender

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper aims to shed light on the dissonance caused by the superimposition of Dominant Human Systems on Natural Systems. I highlight the synthetic nature of Dominant Human Systems as egoic and linguistic phenomenon manufactured by a mere portion of the human population, which renders them inherently oppressive unto peoples and landscapes whose wisdom were barred from the design process. In pursuing a radical pragmatic approach to mending the simultaneous oppression and destruction of the human being and the earth, I highlight the necessity of minimizing entropic chaos caused by excess energy expenditure, an essential feature of systems that aim ...

In Vivo And In Vitro Studies Of Cry5b And Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Agonist Anthelmintics Reveal A Powerful And Unique Combination Therapy Against Intestinal Nematode Parasites, Yan Hu, Melanie Miller, Bo Zhang, Thanh-Thanh Nguyen, Martin K. Nielsen, Raffi V. Aroian

Open Access Articles

BACKGROUND: The soil-transmitted nematodes (STNs) or helminths (hookworms, whipworms, large roundworms) infect the intestines of ~1.5 billion of the poorest peoples and are leading causes of morbidity worldwide. Only one class of anthelmintic or anti-nematode drugs, the benzimidazoles, is currently used in mass drug administrations, which is a dangerous situation. New anti-nematode drugs are urgently needed. Bacillus thuringiensis crystal protein Cry5B is a powerful, promising new candidate. Drug combinations, when properly made, are ideal for treating infectious diseases. Although there are some clinical trials using drug combinations against STNs, little quantitative and systemic work has been performed to define ...

A Case Of Synchronous Colorectal Carcinoma Manifested As Three Separate Colon Masses, Alyssa Imperatore Do, Linda Szczurek Do, Facos, Alan Shienbaum Do

Stratford Campus Research Day

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States amongst cancers that affect both genders. Synchronous colorectal cancer is greater than one primary lesion detected on initial presentation and occurs about 5% of the time.

This is a 78 year-old female with past medical history of left-sided breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy who presented with symptomatic anemia found to have a hemoglobin of five and positive fecal occult blood test. Patient was transfused and taken for EGD/colonoscopy, which showed three polypoid rectal lesions and three separate colon masses. Preliminary pathology showed high grade ...

Gist- An Unusual Case Of Gi Bleeding, Lucy Joo Do, Justin Derosa Do, Drew Chiesa Do, Darshan Roy Md

Stratford Campus Research Day

This is a unique case of a female who was diagnosed and treated with a GIST (gastrointestinal stromal cell tumor) of the stomach.The purpose is to deliver awareness and education to clinicians of this rare malignancy by emphasizing its presentation and characteristics.

A Case Of Signet Ring Cell Colon Carcinoma Initially Presenting As Acute Diverticulitis, Justin Derosa Do, Jonathan Foster Do, Drew Chiesa Do, Darshan Roy Md

Stratford Campus Research Day

This is a unique case of a female with an acute bout of diverticulitis who six weeks later on follow up colonoscopy, was found to have signet ring cell colon carcinoma. The purpose is to deliver awareness of this rare type of colon malignancy, emphasize the continued need for screening colonoscopy, and to provide the reader with a distinct and thought provoking spin on the conventional diagnosis of diverticulitis.

Myeloid Sarcoma: A Rare Cause Of Small Bowel Obstruction, Jonathan Sedeyn Do, Phd, Karlbuto Alexandre, Alan J. Sheinbaum Do, Adeshola Fakulujo Md, Facs

Stratford Campus Research Day

Myeloid sarcoma is a rare and aggressive tumor of myelogenous origin that uncommonly presents in the small bowel. Here we describe the case of a 29 year old male with a two week history of worsening abdominal pain associated with nausea and bilious vomiting. The patient displayed tenderness in the epigastric and periumbilical region with grossly normal lab values. On CT he was found to have a small bowel obstruction with a transition point in the pelvis. Exploration revealed a small bowel mass located approximately 12 cm from the ileocecal valve. Pathological analysis showed large malignant cells with a high ...

Precision Medicine For Crc Patients In The Veteran Population: State-Of-The-Art, Challenges And Research Directions., Shyam S Mohapatra, Surinder K Batra, Srinivas Bharadwaj, Michael Bouvet, Bard Cosman, Ajay Goel, Wilma Jogunoori, Michael J Kelley, Lopa Mishra, Bibhuti Mishra, Subhra Mohapatra, Bhaumik Patel, Joseph R Pisegna, Jean-Pierre Raufman, Shuyun Rao, Hemant Roy, Maren Scheuner, Satish Singh, Gitanjali Vidyarthi, Jon White

Surgery Faculty Publications

Colorectal cancer (CRC) accounts for ~9% of all cancers in the Veteran population, a fact which has focused a great deal of the attention of the VA's research and development efforts. A field-based meeting of CRC experts was convened to discuss both challenges and opportunities in precision medicine for CRC. This group, designated as the VA Colorectal Cancer Cell-genomics Consortium (VA4C), discussed advances in CRC biology, biomarkers, and imaging for early detection and prevention. There was also a discussion of precision treatment involving fluorescence-guided surgery, targeted chemotherapies and immunotherapies, and personalized cancer treatment approaches. The overarching goal was to ...

Approach To The Diagnostic Workup And Management Of Small Bowel Lesions At A Tertiary Care Center (Poster), David Stein, Jonathan Green, Christopher R. Schlieve, Ann K. Friedrich, Kevin P. Baratta, David H. Ma, May Min, Krunal Patel, David R. Cave, Demetrius E. M. Litwin, Mitchell A. Cahan

Senior Scholars Program

Background: Primary small bowel lesions (SBLs) are rare entities that are difficult to characterize with modern endoscopic and radiographic techniques. This makes their diagnosis and management a significant challenge. Further, SBLs vary widely in pathology and gastrointestinal tract location. Therefore, it is important to review prior SBL cases to understand what factors were most beneficial in directing diagnostic approaches and subsequent treatments for these patients.

Purpose: To evaluate diagnostic modalities used and management practices of patients with SBLs at an advanced endoscopic referral center.

Methods: We analyzed patients undergoing surgical management for SBL from 2005-2015 at a single tertiary care ...

Periostin And Mesothelin: Potential Predictors Of Malignant Progression In Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma, Pranoti Mandrekar, Vincenzo Cardinale

Open Access Articles

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), a heterogeneous group of malignancy arising at any level of the biliary tree based on their anatomical location, is classified into intrahepatic (iCCA), perihilar, and distal subtypes. iCCA, which arises distally to the second‐order bile ducts, is a highly heterogeneous and aggressive malignancy with overall poor prognosis. The rate of iCCA is increasing rapidly, particularly in Western countries; however, its precise etiology and pathogenesis remain elusive.1 While surgical resection is the first line of treatment, liver transplantation is the potential curative treatment for unresectable tumors in patients with iCCA, and posttransplantation 5‐year survival rates are ...

The Morbidity And Mortality Of Laparoscopic Appendectomy In Patients With Cirrhosis, Yasir Al-Azzawai, Yasir Al-Abboodi, Matthew J. Fasullo, Tarek Najuib

Open Access Articles

Introduction: The perioperative mortality is significantly higher in patients with cirrhosis undergoing certain surgical procedures. In this study, we examined the inpatient perioperative mortality and morbidities in cirrhotic people who underwent laparoscopic appendectomy.

Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis using the National Inpatient Sample database for 2010. Inclusion criteria were all race and sex who are 18 years or older. Those who have laparoscopic appendectomy and have a history of liver cirrhosis were assigned to case group. An equal random number of appendectomy-related admissions and those who have no history of liver cirrhosis were selected and placed in the control ...

Suspected Blood Indicator To Identify Active Gastrointestinal Bleeding: A Prospective Validation, Samuel Han, Julien Fahed, David R. Cave

Open Access Articles

Background: The suspected blood indicator (SBI) function in the RAPID Reader v8.3 program was designed to quickly identify the presence of blood in video capsule endoscopy. While previous retrospective studies have shown that the SBI function was accurate in detecting the presence of active bleeding in the small bowel, its specificity and sensitivity were poor.

Methods: An initial retrospective review (phase 1) compared 115 patients with active gastrointestinal bleeding seen on video capsule endoscopy (VCE) to 115 patients with no active bleeding seen on VCE to produce a highly accurate algorithm. A prospective study (phase 2) was then performed ...

Recurrent Episodes Of Acute Pancreatitis Present To The Ed With More Severe Disease By Ct Than First-Time Acute Pancreatitis, Maryam Boumezrag, Hamza Ijaz, Lorna Richards, Sormeh Harounzadeh, Angeline Johny, Paige Kulie, Caitlin Davis, Yan Ma, Maxine Le Saux, Andrew C. Meltzer

GW Research Days 2016 - Present

Study Objective: Approximately 30% of patients with one episode of acute pancreatitis experience a recurrent episode. The objective of this study is to compare the severity of the first-time episode versus recurrent episodes of acute pancreatitis based on CT scan.

Methods: This study was conducted as part of a retrospective chart review at a single academic urban emergency department from 2012-2016. Criteria for inclusion included clinical symptoms of pancreatitis, age greater than or equal to 18 years, ED diagnosis of acute pancreatitis, and, an abdominal CT scan within 24 hours of triage. Exclusion criteria were traumatic cause of acute pancreatitis ...

Clinical-Evolutional Particularities Of The Cryoglobulinemic Vasculitis In The Case Of A Patient Diagnosed With Hepatitis C Virus In The Predialitic Phase, Daniel C. Caragea, Larisa Săndulescu, Vlad Pădureanu, Mircea C. Forțofoiu, Costin Streba, Lidia Boldeanu, Mihail V. Boldeanu, Mircea Popescu-Drigă, Marius E. Ciurea, Maria Forțofoiu, Ion Rogoveanu, Tudorel Ciurea, Cristin C. Vere

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) represents a fundamental issue for public health, with long term evolution and the gradual appearance of several complications and associated pathologies. One of these pathologies is represented by cryoglobulinemic vasculitis, a disorder characterized by the appearance in the patient’s serum of the cryoglobulins, which typically precipitate at temperatures below normal body temperature (37°C) and dissolve again if the serum is heated. Here, we describe the case of a patient diagnosed with HCV that, during the evolution of the hepatic disease, developed a form of cryoglobulinemic vasculitis. The connection between the vasculitis and the hepatic ...

Serum Anti-Flagellin And Anti-Lipopolysaccharide Immunoglobulins As Predictors Of Linear Growth Faltering In Pakistani Infants At Risk For Environmental Enteric Dysfunction, Sana Syed, Najeeha T. Iqbal, Kamran Sadiq, Jennie Z. Ma, Tauseef Akhund, Wenjun Xin, Sean R. Moore, Enju Liu, Shahida Qureshi, Kerri B. Gosselin, Andrew Gewirtz, Christopher P. Duggan, S Asad. Ali

Pediatric Publications and Presentations

BACKGROUND: Environmental Enteric Dysfunction (EED) in children from low-income countries has been linked to linear growth declines. There is a critical need to identify sensitive and early EED biomarkers.

OBJECTIVE: Determine whether levels of antibodies against bacterial components flagellin (flic) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) predict poor growth.

DESIGN/METHODS: In a prospective birth cohort of 380 children in rural Pakistan blood and stool samples were obtained at ages 6 and 9 months. Linear mixed effects models were used to examine longitudinal associations between quartiles of anti-flic and anti-LPS antibodies and changes in LAZ, WAZ and WLZ scores. Spearman's correlations were ...

Studies Of Amino Acid Mutations In Drug Resistance Of The Smo Protein, Eunice Wintona

Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Smoothened receptor (SMO) is a protein that in humans, is encoded by the SMO gene. A systemic mutation in its binding pocket helps predict the sensitivity of mutant proteins to different drugs. Known as a GPCR-like receptor, it is a component of the hedgehog signaling pathway; a pathway involved in body patterning and the regulation of adult stem cells. An uncontrolled or inappropriate activation of the Hedgehog pathway drives tumor progression in cancers and a number of birth defects. To achieve these goals, the molecular modeling software MOE was used to build small molecules and drug molecules like Vismodegib and ...

The Conundrum Of Indeterminate Quantiferon-Tb Gold Results Before Anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor Initiation, Shahrad Hakimian, Yevgeniy Popov, Abbas Rupawala, Karen I. Salomon-Escoto, Steven Hatch, Randall Pellish

Open Access Articles

Background: Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) is a key cytokine in both the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and the host defense against tuberculosis (TB). Consequently, anti-TNFalpha medications result in an increased risk of latent TB infection (LTBI) reactivation. Here, we sought to evaluate the factors affecting the results of QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT) assay as a screening tool for LTBI.

Methods: We conducted an observational, retrospective study in patients with IBD and RA who underwent LTBI screening using QFT-GIT at UMass Memorial Medical Center between 2008 and 2016 prior to initiation of anti-TNF medications ...

A Budget Impact Model For Two Investigational Agents For The Treatment Of Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis, Nicole M. Trask, Pavel Lavitas, Vincent Palumbo

Commonwealth Medicine Publications

Statistics show approximately 15 million Americans suffer from NASH, a nonalcoholic fatty liver disease that is projected to become the most common reason for liver transplantation. There are no FDA approved therapies for NASH, so doctors are forced to treat patients with off-label medications while keeping an eye out for breakthroughs in medication development.

Two novel therapies, obeticholic acid and elafibranor, are currently in Phase III trials. If they receive FDA approval, interest will be high as they will be the first treatments specifically labeled for NASH. We detail a budget impact model for a sample state Medicaid plan in ...

The Association Of Dietary Quality With Colorectal Cancer Among Normal Weight, Overweight And Obese Men And Women: A Prospective Longitudinal Study In The Usa, Rosalie A. Torres Stone, Molly E. Waring, Sarah L. Cutrona, Catarina I. Kiefe, Jeroan J. Allison, Chyke A. Doubeni

Sarah L. Cutrona

OBJECTIVE: Lower body mass index (BMI) and higher dietary quality reduce the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). A full understanding of how these associations vary by sex and weight is lacking.

METHODS: We used data from the National Institutes of Health - American Association of Retired Persons (NIH)-AARP) Diet and Health Study for 398 458 persons who were 50-71 years old in 1995-1996 and followed through 2006. Exposures were dietary quality as reflected by the Mediterranean Diet, the Healthy Eating Index-2010 and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension score, stratified by BMI category. The outcome was CRC diagnosis from cancer ...