Inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery aneurysm as a consequence of traumatic acute pancreatitis. A case report and review of the literature.

Abstract

Inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery (PDA) aneurysms are rare: To date, only 88 cases have been reported in the English literature. Although atherosclerosis represents the most common histological finding (60%), the pathogenetic mechanism consists usually of vessel erosion owing to acute or chronic pancreatitis. Most of these lesions are undetectable until symptoms of rupture occur. Rupture occurs typically in association with an episode of pancreatitis (60%) and caries a high mortality rate (50%), making diagnosis and early treatment essential. Angiography and computed tomography (CT) readily confirm the diagnosis. Ligation or resection of the aneurysm represents the definitive and radical therapy, but in an emergency, entails a high mortality rate (50%). Transcatheter embolization is a valid alternative to control bleeding (80%) in order to stabilize the patient; in some cases, it represents a definitive treatment. We present a case of an aneurysm that developed in a patient who had had posttraumatic acute pancreatitis. A surgical procedure with proximal and distal ligation of the aneurysm was performed successfully.