Spontaneous perforation of jejunal gastrointestinal stromal tumor: A case report

Exploring Perforated Jejunal GIST: A Rare Case Report and Review of Molecular and Clinical Literature

This case report details a rare instance of a perforated jejunal gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) in a 76-year-old female patient. The patient presented with acute abdominal pain and distension without any changes in bowel habits or episodes of nausea and vomiting. Initial diagnostics, including abdominal plain radiography and ultrasonography, were inconclusive; however, a computed tomography (CT) scan revealed pneumoperitoneum and an irregular fluid collection suggestive of small intestine perforations. Surgical intervention uncovered a 35 mm jejunal GIST with a 10 mm perforation. Histopathological examination confirmed a mixed cell type GIST with high malignancy potential, further substantiated by immunohistochemistry markers CD117, DOG1, and vimentin. Molecular analysis illuminated the role of key oncogenes, primarily KIT and PDGFRA mutations, emphasizing the importance of molecular diagnostics in GIST management. Despite the severity of the presentation, the patient's postoperative recovery was favorable, highlighting the effectiveness of prompt surgical and multidisciplinary approaches in managing complex GIST cases.

Acute abdomen secondary to perforated jejunal gastrointestinal stromal tumor and imatinib-related isolated pericardial effusion in a 50-year-old female patient: A case report and review of literature

INTRODUCTION

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are the most common mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal tract; occurring most often in the stomach and to a lesser extent in the jejunum. The majority of the tumors express activating mutations in either c-KIT or PDGFRA tyrosine kinases, which respond to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI). Jejunal GIST is considered to be extremely rare and challenging to diagnose due to its non-specific presentation. As a result, patients usually present at an advance stage of the disease, making the prognosis poor and difficult to manage.

CASE PRESENTATION

In the present study, we report a 50-year-old female who was diagnosed with metastatic jejunal GIST. She was commenced on Imatinib (TKI) and shortly after she presented to the emergency department with an acute abdomen. A CT scan of the abdomen revealed ischemic changes in the jejunal loops and pneumoperitoneum. The patient required emergency laparotomy due to perforated GIST, and creation of pericardial window due to hemodynamic instability possibly secondary TKI-related isolated pericardial effusion.

CONCLUSION

Jejunal GIST is rare and usually presents as emergency due to obstruction, hemorrhage or rarely perforation. Although, systemic therapy with TKI is the principal treatment for advance disease, Jejunal GIST should be removed surgically. It is surgically challenging due to the anatomical complexity of the tumor. Surgeons treating such patients must be cautious for TKI side effects.

Ruptured gastro-intestinal stromal tumor as a surgical emergency: A case report and literature review

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal tract. GISTs of the small bowel are rare, and often present with an abdominal mass and/or bleeding. Chemotherapy and surgery are the mainstay of therapy. Here, we discuss an unusual case of a ruptured jejunal GIST with hemoperitoneum and recurrence despite surgical excision followed by Imatinib treatment. Forty-five cases of ruptured small intestinal GISTs were identified in the literature. Most cases were in males and were found to be at the site of the jejunum.

Clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of gastrointestinal stromal tumors containing air-fluid levels

An air-fluid level within a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is unusual and indicates the presence of a fistula within the lumen of the GI tract. Until recently, the optimal management of such patients was not clear-cut. This retrospective study investigated the clinicopathological characteristics, surgical procedures, pre-and post-operative management, and prognosis of patients with GIST containing an air-fluid level. Data of GIST patients, spanning 5 years, including 17 GIST patients with air-fluid levels in the experimental group and 34 GIST patients without air-fluid levels in the control group, were retrieved from two hospitals in China. The clinicopathological characteristics, types of surgery, management, and clinical outcomes of GIST patients were compared between the two groups. GISTs containing air-fluid levels were significantly different from GISTs without air-fluid levels regarding tumor morphology, NIH risk category, invasion of adjacent organs, and necrosis or ulceration. Most GIST patients with air-fluid levels (14/17, 82.4%) received open surgery, significantly higher than the 20.6% in the control group. Targeted therapy with Imatinib mesylate (IM) was implemented in all GIST patients in the experimental group (17/17, 100%); markedly higher than those (3/34, 8.8%) in the control group. During follow-up, recurrence and death rates (5.9% and 5.9%) in the experimental group were higher than those (2.9% and 0%) in the control group. Open surgery is commonly performed in GIST patients with air-fluid levels who also require targeted therapy with IM. The Torricelli-Bernoulli sign could be a risk factor, adversely affecting the patient’s prognosis.