Arteriovenous malformation of the pancreas in a patient with gastrointestinal bleeding: helical CT findings

An Update of Treatment of Pancreatic Arteriovenous Malformations

Pancreatic arteriovenous malformation is a rare entity (0.9%). There are about 200 articles available in PubMed. This review article includes 86 published articles, with 117 cases published after 2000. The median age at diagnosis was 51, and most of the patients were male (87.0%). The symptoms included pain, bleeding, pancreatitis, ulcers in the duodenum or stomach, varix formation, jaundice, and ascites. The diagnostic modalities were angiography, contrast-enhanced CT, MRI, and/or Ultra Sound. The most common treatments were surgery and embolization. The clinical success rate of embolization reported was 57.7%. The tailored embolization based on each agio-architecture had a clinical success rate of 80%. If embolic therapy is ineffective, surgical intervention should be considered.

Surgical resection of arteriovenous malformation of the pancreatic head with acute pancreatitis: a case report

Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are uncommon in the gastrointestinal tract, particularly in the pancreas. AVMs cause complications, including gastrointestinal bleeding, portal hypertension and pancreatitis. Therefore, a treatment strategy is not yet established. Surgical treatment or transcatheter arterial embolization is performed in patients with AVM, considering their conditions. A 54-year-old man presented with acute abdominal pain was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis due to AVM of the pancreatic head using dynamic computed tomography. Endoscopic ultrasonography further revealed meandering blood vessels in the pancreatic head. The patient underwent subtotal stomach-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy. Histological examination revealed AVM of the pancreatic head with chronic pancreatitis. The patient had a good postoperative clinical course and was discharged on postoperative day 22. He remained asymptomatic. Pancreaticoduodenectomy can be considered an effective treatment method for selected cases of symptomatic AVM of the pancreatic head.

Management of pancreatic arteriovenous malformation: Case report and literature review

INTRODUCTION

Pancreatic arteriovenous malformation (P-AVM) is a rare vascular malformation. Fewer than 200 cases have been reported. The clinical manifestations lack specificity. Common symptoms include abdominal pain, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, and jaundice, which is easily confused with other disorders.

PATIENT CONCERNS

A 42-year-old man received TAE due to abdominal pain caused by P-AVM in a local hospital, melena and abdominal pain occurred in a short time after TAE.

DIAGNOSIS

The patient was diagnosed as P-AVM which was confirmed by computed tomography and digital subtraction angiography.

INTERVENTIONS

A pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy was successfully performed after diagnosis was made.

OUTCOMES

The patient recovered with no complications two weeks after surgery, and no sign of recurrence was found during the 4-mo follow-up period.

CONCLUSION

In our experience, TAE may have limitations in the treatment of P-AVM and surgical resection should be considered as the treatment of choice.

Hemobilia caused by pancreatic arteriovenous malformation: A case report and literature review

RATIONALE

Hemobilia caused by arteriovenous malformation is extremely rare but could be lethal. To date, most reports have been single-case reports, and no literature reviews are available.

PATIENT CONCERNS

A 47-year-old man presented to the emergency department with abdominal pain and fever. He complained of abdominal pain and weight loss for the past 2 months.

DIAGNOSES

Contrast-enhanced computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging showed a heterogenous lesion located in pancreatic head and tumor was suspected.

INTERVENTIONS

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography was performed and bleeding from papilla of Vater could be viewed. Nasobiliary drainage was placed to alleviate the pain and jaundice. Emergency laparotomy was performed due to the recurrence of severe pain and bleeding, and pancreatoduodenectomy was then performed. Macroscopic examination showed the ulceration connected with collected vessels which were located in pancreatic head and microscopic examination confirmed the presence of arteriovenous malformation.

OUTCOMES

The patient recovered uneventfully and was discharged 10 days after the surgery. He is asymptomatic on 4-month follow up.

LESSONS

Arteriovenous malformation is a rare cause of hemobilia, but it could lead to life threatening bleeding. Transarterial embolization could be effective to control the bleeding temporarily, however repeated hemorrhage may occur. Surgical resection may be a better option.

A case of pancreatic AV malformation in an elderly man

A 60-year-old man presented with recurrent abdominal pain and weight loss for 6 months. Abdominal imaging showed a large vascular lesion in the head and neck of pancreas suggestive of arteriovenous malformation (AV malformation). Endoscopic ultrasound was done which showed features of AV malformation with no evidence of pancreatic malignancy. Surgery was planned for definitive treatment of malformation. Digital subtraction angiography with angioembolization was done prior to surgery to reduce vascularity of the lesion. He recovered after a pylorus preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy. Histopathology of the resected specimen confirmed the pancreatic AV malformation. There has been no recurrence at 2 years of follow-up.

Pancreatic arteriovenous malformation mimicking pancreatic neoplasm: a systematic multimodality diagnostic approach and treatment

Pancreatic arteriovenous malformation (pAVM) is a very rare entity, as less than 100 cases are reported in the international literature. Patients with pAVM may be asymptomatic or may present a wide range of symptoms, such as vague pain, feeling of fullness, gastrointestinal bleeding, or even portal hypertension. We present the multimodality approach in the diagnosis of a patient with pAVM and treatment via transcatheter arterial embolization of the lesion using steel coils. The patient was free of symptoms 12 months later.

Acquired Pancreatic Arteriovenous Malformation

Pancreatic arteriovenous malformation is a rare vascular anomaly which may cause abdominal pain, acute pancreatitis, gastrointestinal bleeding and portal hypertension. Pancreatic arteriovenous malformation is mostly congenital; however secondary pancreatic arteriovenous malformation due to pancreatitis has been suggested by some authors. We encountered a case which can confirm this presumption. Several imaging modalities are useful for the diagnosis of pancreatic arteriovenous malformation, especially dynamic contrast-enhanced studies. Angiography is the most important diagnostic tool because of the dynamic features of this vascular lesion. Treatment is advised and consists of surgical resection and/or transarterial embolization.

Pancreatic arteriovenous malformation

An unusual case of pancreatic arteriovenous malformation (P-AVM) combined with esophageal cancer is reported. A 59-year-old man was admitted with upper abdominal pain. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography showed numerous strongly enhanced abnormal vessels and a hypovascular lesion in the area of the pancreatic tail. Angiographic study of the celiac artery confirmed racemose vascular networks in the tail of the pancreas. Endoscopic retrograde pancreatography revealed narrowing and displacement of the main pancreatic duct in the tail of the pancreas. Screening esophagoscopy showed a 0-IIa+IIc type tumor in the lower thoracic esophagus. Histological examination of esophagoscopic biopsies showed squamous cell carcinoma. Based on these findings, P-AVM or pancreatic cancer and esophageal cancer were diagnosed. Video-assisted thoracoscopic esophagectomy and distal pancreatectomy were performed. Histological examination of the resected pancreas revealed abundant abnormal vessels with intravascular thrombi. In addition, rupture of a dilated pancreatic duct with pancreatic stones and both severe atrophy and fibrosis of the pancreatic parenchyma were observed. The final diagnoses were P-AVM consequent to severe chronic pancreatitis and esophageal carcinoma. The patient's postoperative course was relatively good.

Pancreatic arteriovenous malformation

BACKGROUND

Pancreatic arteriovenous malformation is very rare, but may cause significant clinical symptoms such as catastrophic bleeding. Herein, we discuss the clinical presentation and management of patients pancreatic arteriovenous malformations.

METHODS

The data pool for the analysis was collected from pancreatic arteriovenous malformation cases encountered by our institution and sporadic case reports in the English literature.

RESULTS

A total of 89 cases of pancreatic arteriovenous malformation were collected for this study, including 59 cases of arteriovenous malformation in the pancreatic head (62.3 %) and 30 in the pancreatic body-tail (33.7 %). The most commonly associated complications for overall cases of pancreatic arteriovenous malformation were bleeding (50.6 %), pancreatitis (16.9 %), portal hypertension (6.7 %), and pseudocyst (3.4 %). The most common presenting symptom of pancreatic arteriovenous malformation was gastrointestinal bleeding (47.2 %), followed by epigastric pain (46.1 %). Surgery (43.8 %) was the most common treatment for pancreatic arteriovenous malformation cases, followed by transarterial embolization (11.2 %), a combination of surgery and transarterial embolization (10.1 %), and radiotherapy (2.2 %). No intervention was done for 29.2 % of the cases of pancreatic arteriovenous malformation.

CONCLUSIONS

Pancreatic arteriovenous malformation occurs most commonly in the pancreatic head; gastrointestinal bleeding is the main symptom. Surgical resection or transarterial embolization appears to be indicated in patients with symptomatic pancreatic arteriovenous malformation.

Surgical outcomes of pancreatic arteriovenous malformation in a single center and review of literature

OBJECTIVE

Pancreatic arteriovenous malformation (P-AVM) is an extremely rare condition that can be accompanied by fatal complications. We have attempted to identify the possible management guidelines based on our and others' clinical experience.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed our findings including clinical characteristics, imaging modalities, and treatment in 12 patients. Sporadic reports of 69 patients with P-AVM were surveyed for representative characteristics and treatment strategy.

RESULTS

The mean age at diagnosis was 49.8 years (range, 44-64 years), and all 12 were male. The mean body mass index was 21.5 kg/m (range, 18.3-24.3 kg/m) and 6 (50%) were heavy smokers (mean, 30.9 pack-years; range, 7.5-120 pack-years). The most common clinical symptom is gastrointestinal bleeding, followed by abdominal pain. All patients were diagnosed with abdominal disease using computed tomography. Of the 12 patients, 11 underwent pancreatic resection and 1 patient was managed conservatively. No patient experienced any major postoperative complications during the median follow-up of 37 months.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with symptomatic P-AVM, surgical resection of the affected pancreas showed a successful result. When a patient is at a high risk for surgical treatment, transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt, transarterial embolization, and radiation therapy might be other treatment options.

A case of recurrent infection caused by a pancreaticoduodenal fistula associated with a pancreatic arteriovenous malformation

Although arteriovenous malformations (AVM) occur frequently in digestive organs, pancreatic AVM is rare. The clinical symptoms of pancreatic AVM are variable and include gastrointestinal bleeding, abdominal pain, jaundice, portal hypertension, pancreatitis, and duodenal ulcer. However, choledochoduodenal or pancreaticoduodenal fistulas complicated with ascending infection and pancreatitis is extremely rare. Herein, we report a case of pancreaticoduodenal fistula associated with a pancreatic AVM that induced recurrent anemia and ascending infection.

Arteriovenous malformation of the pancreatic head--difficulties in diagnosis and treatment

A patient with pancreatic arteriovenous malformation who presented diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties is presented. The initial tests appeared to suggest inflammatory bowel disease, but the diagnosis was clinched by the finding of blood issuing from the ampulla of Vater. Repeated angiographic embolization did not obliterate the vascular malformation, and the symptoms eventually resolved after Whipple's pancreaticoduodenectomy.

A Case of Recurrent Acute Pancreatitis due to Pancreatic Arteriovenous Malformation

Pancreatic arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is an extremely rare condition with various clinical manifestations. We report herein a case of recurrent acute pancreatitis due to pancreatic AVM in a 49-year-old man. This patient presented with epigastric pain that had developed after consuming alcohol 2 days prior to admission. Serum amylase and lipase levels were elevated and computed tomography revealed focal low-attenuation lesions with peripancreatic infiltrations in the pancreatic tail and multiple collateral vessels around the low-attenuation lesions. He was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis and pancreatic AVM. Although he had stopped drinking after the first attack of acute pancreatitis, his pancreatitis recurred twice within 3 months. He underwent a distal pancreatectomy after the third attack of acute pancreatitis. He was free of symptoms for 2 years after the pancreatectomy.

Treatment of arteriovenous malformation of the pancreas: a case report

Pancreatic arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is a rare disease, generally asymptomatic, but sometimes complicated by gastrointestinal bleeding or pancreatitis. We report a case of a 55-year-old man presenting with a large pancreatic AVM. The diagnosis was obtained on a computed tomography scan. A treatment by transarterial embolization was carried out successfully. Selective arterial embolization of pancreatic AVM can represent an effective treatment in the first intention.

Arteriovenous malformation of the pancreas: report of a case

Arteriovenous malformation (AVM) of the pancreas (AVMP) is uncommon and generally asymptomatic; therefore, few cases have so far been reported. The symptoms of AVMP include gastrointestinal bleeding, pain, and portal hypertension. Definitive diagnosis is confirmed by angiographic study, and surgery is the only effective treatment. We report a case of AVMP confirmed by computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and angiographic study of the abdomen, in a patient who presented to us with epigastric pain. He underwent a pancreaticoduodenectomy, following which his symptoms resolved.

Pancreatic arteriovenous malformation with portal hypertension

A 45-year-old man with recurrent episodes of hematemesis caused by extensive varices in the esophagus and stomach was admitted. He had a history of liver cirrhosis with hepatitis C virus infection. Computed tomography revealed a conglomeration of small strong nodular stains in the pancreatic head. Angiography revealed a racemose vascular network at the same site and early appearance of the portal venous system in the arterial phase. With a diagnosis of pancreatic arteriovenous malformation with portal hypertension, he underwent pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy, preceded, 2 days earlier, by transcatheter arterial embolization of some of the feeding arteries. The varices observed preoperatively in the esophagus and stomach disappeared, and he has been well for 6 years after the operation. We reviewed 47 cases of pancreatic arteriovenous malformation previously reported in the English-language literature, with a focus on the clinical manifestations, treatment approaches, and etiological relationship with portal hypertension and liver cirrhosis.

Differential diagnosis of gastrointestinal bleeding

In this article, we review the many causes of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding and discuss current strategies for rendering a specific diagnosis. Diagnostic tools considered in this review include: clinical assessment, upper endoscopy, colonoscopy, scintigraphy, and conventional arteriography as well as computed tomography angiography and magnetic resonance angiography. An algorithm for the diagnostic work-up of the patient with GI bleeding is included.