Pancreatic pseudocyst is a common complication of acute and chronic pancreatitis. Extension of a pancreatic pseudocyst into the mediastinum is rare. We present a case of a 43-year-old male with a history of pancreatitis, who presented with dysphagia and was found to have a pancreatic pseudocyst. The pseudocyst was extending to the mediastinum and compressing the esophagus. It was successfully drained externally by computed tomography-guided catheter intervention. Depending on the location and size, patients may present with dyspnea, chest pain, palpitations, or dysphagia; sometimes with hemoptysis, acute respiratory compromise, or cardiogenic shock. There are no recommended guidelines for management. Watchful waiting for spontaneous regression, medical therapy, or drainage internally or externally with endoscopic, percutaneous, or open surgical approach are available options. Based on our own experience and literature review of such cases, we present a management strategy that can limit both complications and recurrence rate. This case emphasizes the importance of the possibility of mediastinal extension of a pancreatic pseudocyst and provides reference guidelines to approach the same.

Iron deficiency anemia is commonly encountered in outpatient practice. Gastric acid is one of the important factors for optimum absorption of iron. Proton pump inhibitors are very commonly prescribed medications. One of the debated effects of proton pump inhibitors is on oral iron absorption. Their effect on absorption of oral iron supplementation in iron-deficient patients has not been studied. At the Cooper Hematology Outpatient office, we reviewed charts of iron-deficient anemic patients who were on omeprazole for the last 4 years. Fifty patients having no apparent ongoing blood loss, having other causes of anemia especially that of chronic diseases ruled out, and on omeprazole while starting ferrous sulfate therapy for iron deficiency were selected for chart review. The iron-study results at the start of oral ferrous sulfate therapy and at 3 months follow-up were compared to evaluate the response of ferrous sulfate. The mean hemoglobin change was 0.8 ± 1.2 g/L. The mean change in ferrtin values was 10.2 ± 7.8 μg/L. Only 16% of the patients had a normal response to hemoglobin levels (rise of >2 g/dL), and only 40% had a normal response to ferritin levels (rise of >20 μg/dL). The average age of patients having a suboptimal response to both hemoglobin and ferritin was significantly higher compared with that of the patients with an optimal response. Omeprazole and possibly all proton pump inhibitors decrease the absorption of oral iron supplementation. Iron-deficient patients taking proton pump inhibitors may have to be treated with high dose iron therapy for a longer duration or with intravenous iron therapy.

Although the overall rate of colorectal cancer (CRC) has remained stable, studies have shown an increase in the rate of CRC in young patients (<50) nationwide. We hypothesize that the rectal cancer (RC) rate in young people has increased in rural Appalachia. The goal is to provide insight into the future of RC epidemiology in underserved populations. This Institutional Review Board–approved retrospective study evaluated RC patients diagnosed in 2003 to 2016, and compared the ratio of early-onset RC to the state and national ratios using West Virginia State Cancer Registry, North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (NAACCR) and Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program Database. Demographics include age, gender, ethnicity, and county. We also evaluated cancer stage, family history, and comorbidities, including body mass index, smoking, and alcohol history. The rate of early-onset RC in our area is 1.5 times higher than the national rates. In our population, 100 per cent of patients were white with an equal gender distribution. Young patients with RC were noted to be more overweight than national rates. Young RC patients are more likely to have a first- or second-degree relative with cancer diagnosis. Smoking was strongly associated with young RC. Compared with national statistics, a higher proportion of young patients had Stage 1 or 2 disease which correlated with better survival. The rate of early-onset RC in the Tristate Appalachian area in West Virginia is higher than the national rate with risk factors including white ethnicity, obesity, diabetes mellitus, smoking, family history, and history of pelvic surgeries. It warrants further investigation and discussion of current CRC screening guidelines that begin at age 50.

Complete esophageal obstruction is a rare complication of endoscopic variceal banding, with only 6 cases in the English literature since the introduction of endoscopic variceal banding in 1986. We report a case of complete esophageal obstruction following esophageal banding due to entrapment of part of a sliding hiatal hernia. To our knowledge, our case is one of few with esophageal obstruction post-banding, and the first associated with a hiatal hernia. We recommend caution when performing esophageal banding on patients with a hiatal hernia.

E' by VVI is lower than by TDI with a poor agreement between the measurements, which are therefore not interchangeable. Although VVI can be performed offline, this method is dependent on image quality.