Foregut cystic developmental malformations are rare developmental anomalies. The problems inherent to these malformations are their presentation across specialties that include embryology, anatomy, pathology, thoracic foregut surgery, pediatric surgery and general abdominal surgery. The direct consequence of this variation has resulted in diverse terminology, classification and a failure to identify the correlation. The article aims to summarize and unify the embryological concepts of foregut cystic malformation, to suggest a generic title to the various groups of these interrelated disorders and a uniform use of nomenclature on the basis of unifying concepts of embryopathogeneis.

Objectives In compensated cirrhosis, thick fibrous septa and small nodules on liver biopsy specimens correlate with the presence of clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH). In turn, CSPH is the strongest predictor of cirrhosis decompensation. The aim of the study was to correlate liver biopsy specimen characteristics with the development of decompensation in patients with compensated cirrhosis. Methods Patients with compensated cirrhosis and a concurrent liver biopsy specimen were reviewed. Semiquantitative grading of septal thickness and nodule size was performed. Primary end point was development of clinical decompensation. In total, 168 patients (median age, 49 years; 76% men) were included in the study; the most common etiology was viral. Results In a median follow-up of 50 months, 43 (26%) patients developed clinical decompensation (60% ascites, 16% encephalopathy, 12% variceal hemorrhage, 7% jaundice, and 5% mixed). On univariate analysis, septal width was significantly associated with decompensation, but nodule size was not. On multivariate analysis including model for end-stage liver disease score, serum albumin and septal width, albumin and septal width were independent predictors of decompensation. Conclusions Histologic cirrhosis in compensated patients can be subclassified by severity based on septal thickness, with thick septa denoting worse prognosis.

Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) has been most commonly associated with diseases like multiple myeloma, Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia, primary systemic amyloidosis, HIV, and other lymphoproliferative disorders. There has been an isolated report of MGUS in patients coinfected with HIV and Hepatitis B, as the work by Amara et al. in 2006. Here, we report a case of IgA-kappa light chain gammopathy secondary to Hepatitis B infection, which resolved after liver transplantation. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of M protein spike seen in the context of Hepatitis B infection only.