Transcatheter microcoil embolotherapy for ruptured pseudoaneurysm following pancreatic and biliary surgery

Targeted versus Empiric Embolization for Delayed Postpancreatectomy Hemorrhage: A Retrospective Study of 312 Patients

PURPOSE

To assess the safety and clinical effectiveness of empiric embolization (EE) compared with targeted embolization (TE) in the treatment of delayed postpancreatectomy hemorrhage (PPH).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The data of patients with delayed PPH between January 2012 and August 2022 were analyzed retrospectively. In total, 312 consecutive patients (59.6 years ± 10.8; 239 men) were included. The group was stratified into 3 cohorts according to angiographic results and treatment strategies: TE group, EE group, and no embolization (NE) group. The χ2 or Fisher exact test was implemented for comparing the clinical success and 30-day mortality. The variables related to clinical failure and 30-day mortality were identified by univariable and multivariable analyses.

RESULTS

Clinical success of transcatheter arterial embolization was achieved in 70.0% (170/243) of patients who underwent embolization. There was no statistical difference in clinical success and 30-day mortality between the EE and TE groups. Multivariate analyses demonstrated that malignant disease (odds ratio [OR] = 5.76), Grade C pancreatic fistula (OR = 7.59), intra-abdominal infection (OR = 2.54), and concurrent extraluminal and intraluminal hemorrhage (OR = 2.52) were risk factors for clinical failure. Moreover, 33 patients (13.6%) died within 30 days after embolization. Advanced age (OR = 2.59) and intra-abdominal infection (OR = 5.55) were identified as risk factors for 30-day mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

EE is safe and as effective as TE in preventing rebleeding and mortality in patients with angiographically negative delayed PPH.

Percutaneous Direct Needle Puncture and Transcatheter N-butyl Cyanoacrylate Injection Techniques for the Embolization of Pseudoaneurysms and Aneurysms of Arteries Supplying the Hepato-pancreato-biliary System and Gastrointestinal Tract

Aims:

The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and clinical efficacy of percutaneous direct needle puncture and transcatheter N-butyl cyanoacrylate (NBCA) injection techniques for the embolization of pseudoaneurysms and aneurysms of arteries supplying the hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB) system and gastrointestinal (GI) tract.

Subjects and Methods:

A hospital-based cross-sectional retrospective study was conducted, where the study group comprised 11 patients with pseudoaneurysms/aneurysms of arteries supplying the HPB system and GI tract presenting to a tertiary care center from January 2015 to June 2016. Four patients (36.4%) underwent percutaneous direct needle puncture of pseudoaneurysms with NBCA injection, 3 patients (27.3%) underwent transcatheter embolization with NBCA as sole embolic agent, and in 4 patients (36.4%), transcatheter NBCA injection was done along with coil embolization.

Results:

This retrospective study comprised 11 patients (8 males and 3 females) with mean age of 35.8 years ± 1.6 (standard deviation [SD]). The mean volume of NBCA: ethiodized oil (lipiodol) mixture injected by percutaneous direct needle puncture was 0.62 ml ± 0.25 (SD) (range = 0.5–1 ml), and by transcatheter injection, it was 0.62 ml ± 0.37 (SD) (range = 0.3–1.4 ml). Embolization with NBCA was technically and clinically successful in all patients (100%). No recurrence of bleeding or recurrence of pseudoaneurysm/aneurysm was noted in our study.

Conclusions:

Percutaneous direct needle puncture of visceral artery pseudoaneurysms and NBCA glue injection and transcatheter NBCA injection for embolization of visceral artery pseudoaneurysms and aneurysms are cost-effective techniques that can be used when coil embolization is not feasible or has failed.

Ischemic Liver Injury After Complete Occlusion of Hepatic Artery in the Treatment of Delayed Postoperative Arterial Bleeding

BACKGROUND

Delayed postoperative arterial bleeding is rare and may be life-threatening. When the bleeding source is the hepatic artery, complete ligation or embolization from the proximal to the distal area of the ruptured lesion usually results in complete occlusion of hepatic arterial flow.

METHODS

To evaluate the frequency and severity of ischemic liver injury following complete hepatic artery occlusion, a retrospective study was conducted. Patients who underwent complete hepatic artery occlusion in the treatment of delayed postoperative arterial bleeding between January 2007 and December 2014 in our institution were reviewed. Changes of hepatic function and rates of associated complications and prognosis were analyzed.

RESULTS

A total of 24 patients experienced 26 episodes of bleeding. Nineteen experienced transient liver enzyme elevation alone. There were no signs of acute liver failure after complete hepatic artery occlusion. The rates of liver infarction and liver abscess were 23.8 % (5/21) and 19 % (4/21), respectively. The 30-day mortality rate was 8.3 % (2/24).

CONCLUSION

Complete occlusion of the hepatic artery does not always result in severe hepatic ischemic injury. As a common cause of delayed postoperative bleeding, intra-abdominal infection may be fatal when it is not controlled successfully.

Interventional therapy for the treatment of severe hemobilia after percutaneous transhepatic cholangial drainage: a case series

From May 2003 to May 2010, a total of 9 patients with severe hemobilia after percutaneous transhepatic cholangial drainage (PTCD) were diagnosed using superselective angiography and cholangiography, and then were treated with interventional procedures. Two patients with hepatic arterio-biliary fistula underwent proximal and distal arterial embolization of the responsible vessel. Six patients with pseudoaneurysm had pseudoaneurysm occlusion with proximal and distal embolization. Another patient with biliary-portal vein fistula received a biliary fully covered stent placement. The effects in these patients were evaluated using superselective angiography immediately after the intervention and at 3- and 6-month follow-up. In all patients, hemobilia was stopped right after the treatment and no sign of recurrence was noted at 3- and 6-month follow-up after the interventional therapy. Our findings demonstrate that interventional therapy is a simple, minimally invasive, and safe approach for treating severe hemobilia in patients receiving PTCD.

Stent graft placement for postsurgical hemorrhage from the hepatic artery: clinical outcome and CT findings

PURPOSE

To evaluate the clinical results and imaging follow-up findings of stent grafts placed for hemorrhage from hepatic arteries following surgery.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The investigation included 17 patients (14 men and 3 women) who underwent endovascular stent graft placement for hepatic arterial hemorrhage following surgery. Bleeding occurred from the common hepatic artery (n = 1; 6%), right hepatic artery (n = 1; 6%), proper hepatic artery (n = 6; 35%), and gastroduodenal artery stump (n = 9; 53%). Stent graft patency, thrombus at the graft, target hepatic artery diameter, and liver perfusion status were analyzed by comparing computed tomography (CT) scans performed before the procedure with follow-up CT scans. Laboratory data were also analyzed before the procedure and at follow-up intervals.

RESULTS

There were 17 stent grafts placed in 17 patients. The mean follow-up period was 356 days (range, 1-2,119 d). The stent graft primary patency rate was 79.5% at 1 month, 69.6% at 6 months, and 69.6% at 1 year. The clinical success rate was 82% (14 of 17 patients), and the technical success rate was 94% (16 of 17 patients). Mortality related to the stent graft was 12% (2 of 17 patients). Occlusion occurred in 4 of 16 stent grafts (25%). There was one technical failure. The mean stent graft diameter was 6.2 mm (range, 3.5-8.0 mm), and the degree of stent graft oversizing was 38% of the hepatic artery diameter on CT scans and 58% on angiography. Hepatic parenchymal perfusion was preserved in 80% of patients (12 of 15).

CONCLUSIONS

Hepatic artery hemorrhage following surgery can be treated effectively with stent graft placement.

Endovascular treatment of delayed hemorrhage developing after the pancreaticoduodenectomy procedure

AIM AND BACKGROUND

Delayed hemorrhage after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) is still one of the most common causes of mortality. However, the case series regarding interventional treatment of delayed hemorrhage after PD are limited. In this retrospective study, we aimed to evaluate functional outcomes of interventional treatment of late hemorrhages developing after PD.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We retrospectively evaluated 16 patients who received endovascular treatment for delayed arterial hemorrhage after PD procedure. Postsurgical nonhemorrhagic complications, time of hemorrhage, site of hemorrhage, endovascular treatment technique, postprocedural complications, and mortality rates were obtained.

RESULTS

Mean duration of delayed hemorrhage after PD was 18 days. Computed tomography angiography images for the hemorrhage period were available for 15 patients. We observed extravasation alone in seven patients and pseudoaneurysm alone in five. Pushable coil was used in 15 patients and covered stent in 1. Two patients died due to hepatic failure, and one patient died because of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS).

CONCLUSIONS

Delayed hemorrhage after PD is difficult to identify, but accurate and early diagnosis is of vital importance. To date, most appropriate management of this complication remains unclear. Although endovascular treatment techniques may vary for every patient, it is a reliable and effective method for halting hemorrhage. Therefore, interventional procedures must be primarily considered rather than surgical interventions.

Endovascular stenting and stent-graft repair of a hemorrhagic superior mesenteric artery pseudoaneurysm and dissection associated with pancreaticoduodenectomy

This report presents a 73-year-old woman with intraperitoneal bleeding from a superior mesenteric artery (SMA) pseudoaneurysm and dissection after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). A self-expanding bare metal stent was placed in the distal SMA across the area of dissection, and a stent-graft was subsequently placed across the pseudoaneurysm emerging from the proximal site by overlapping the bare stent, resulting in complete exclusion of the pseudoaneurysm and control of the dissection. Bleeding was controlled after the endovascular procedure. The combination of endovascular stenting and stent-graft repair is feasible and useful in comorbid cases of SMA pseudoaneurysm and dissection.

Endovascular management of anastomotic blowout of proper hepatic to common hepatic artery saphenous vein bypass with coil embolization and hepatic artery stent placement

Mesenteric and visceral artery pseudoaneurysms in the abdomen are a relatively rare complication after abdominal surgery. It is a complication primarily associated with pancreatic and hepatobiliary surgery, trauma, iatrogenic causes and inflammatory diseases. Regardless of etiology, visceral artery pseudoaneurysms of the abdomen reportedly occur only in 0.01% to 2% of the population. Although rare, these are associated with life-threatening bleeding complications and need to be appropriately managed. We present the case of a patient who presented with bleeding after developing a pseudoaneurysm at the distal anastomotic site of a common hepatic to proper hepatic artery interposition saphenous vein bypass that was subsequently excluded by coil embolization and stent graft placement.

Management of delayed post-pancreaticoduodenectomy arterial bleeding: interventional radiological treatment first

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the diagnosis and treatment of delayed post-pancreaticoduodenectomy arterial bleeding (DPPAB).

METHODS

Records of 336 patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) between January 2000 and December 2010 were retrospectively analyzed. Detailed data of patients with DPPAB were assessed by a thorough review of medical records.

RESULTS

14 patients developed DPPAB. The mean time interval between the initial surgery and DPPAB was 33 days (range 7-72). Three patients experienced sentinel bleeding 5-8 days before DPPAB. All DPPAB patients had intra-abdominal septic complications before bleeding. The overall prevalence of success of angiography and transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) was 85.7% (12/14), including 3 patients who achieved complete hemostasis by TAE after unsuccessful re-laparotomy. The prevalence of mortality of DPPAB was 28.6% (4/14). After hemostasis was achieved, intra-abdominal septic complications were controlled by percutaneous catheter drainage or re-laparotomy with drain replacement.

CONCLUSION

Angiography and TAE are recommended as the first-line diagnostic and treatment choice for DPPAB, respectively. Surgical intervention should be preserved to eliminate the cause of bleeding.

The fatal risk in hepatic artery embolization for hemostasis after pancreatic and hepatic surgery: importance of collateral arterial pathways

PURPOSE

To assess retrospectively the cause of hepatic failure related to hepatic arterial embolization (HAE) for hemostasis after pancreaticoduodenectomy or hepatic lobectomy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Between June 1993 and March 2006, Twenty HAEs in 17 patients (15 men, two women; mean age, 64 years) were performed. Angiographic findings, including portal vein stenosis, collateral arterial pathways after HAE, and the difference of embolic materials, were recorded. The morbidity (hepatic failure and abscess) and mortality were detailed according to collateral arterial pathways, portal vein stenosis, and embolic material used.

RESULTS

Bleeding was controlled in all patients, although two patients required repeat embolization. Hepatic failure (n = 8) and abscess (n = 2) arose in nine of 20 HAEs. Death occurred after six of eight HAEs complicated by hepatic failure. The morbidity and mortality rates of HAE were 45% and 30%, respectively. Hepatic complication was eight times more likely to occur (P = .005) in cases with no hepatic collaterals involving hepatic, replaced, or accessory hepatic arteries. Death was observed only in the cases without hepatic collaterals (P = .011). The correlation between the embolization outcome and the presence of portal vein stenosis or the difference of embolic materials was not significant (P > .61).

CONCLUSIONS

HAE can be used to successfully control bleeding secondary to hepatic arterial rupture. In the absence of hepatic collaterals, collateral circulation distal to the occlusion from nonhepatic sources may be inadequate and lead to hepatic failure after HAE.

N-butyl cyanoacrylate embolization for pseudoaneurysms complicating pancreatitis or pancreatectomy

PURPOSE

To evaluate the clinical effectiveness and safety of transcatheter arterial embolization with n-butyl cyanoacrylate (NBCA) for pseudoaneurysms complicating pancreatitis or pancreatectomy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Twelve procedures were performed in nine patients (seven men and two women; mean age, 60.6 years) for pseudoaneurysms that occurred secondary to pancreatitis or as a consequence of pancreatic juice leakage at the site of pancreatectomy. For embolization, NBCA was mixed with iodized oil at a ratio of 1:1-1:4; in one patient with failed selective catheterization of the target vessel, the mixture ratio was 1:9. Technical and clinical success rates, recurrent bleeding, procedural complications, serum amylase level, and clinical outcome were determined for each procedure.

RESULTS

Embolization was technically successful in all procedures, with no recurrent bleeding documented from the initially treated territory. In three procedures, we encountered additional bleeding vessels at 11, 33, and 49 days after the procedures, which were successfully managed by a second embolization in each case. There were no major complications related to the procedures. As minor complications, in two procedures, the embolized material overflowed beyond the target vessels; however, no clinically significant ischemic events were observed in the embolized territories. Serum amylase did not increase compared with initial levels after any of the procedures. Seven patients were discharged after clinical improvement. Two patients died 2 and 3 weeks after the embolization as a result of multiple organ failure not associated with the procedure.

CONCLUSIONS

In this limited series, NBCA embolization was found to be feasible and effective for pseudoaneurysms as a complication of pancreatitis or pancreatectomy.

Ischemic liver injuries after hepatic artery embolization in patients with delayed postoperative hemorrhage following hepatobiliary pancreatic surgery

BACKGROUND

Many collateral pathways to the liver are dissected during hepatobiliary pancreatic surgery and, if the arterial bleeding is massive and a hematoma becomes larger, the adjacent portal vein can be compressed with impairment of the portal venous flow.

PURPOSE

To evaluate the frequency and severity of ischemic liver injuries after hepatic artery embolization in patients with delayed postoperative arterial hemorrhage after hepatobiliary pancreatic surgery.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Eighteen patients undergoing proper or common hepatic artery embolization for delayed postoperative arterial hemorrhage after hepatobiliary pancreatic surgery achieved hemostasis. To evaluate the frequency and severity of ischemic liver injuries, the liver enzyme levels and CT findings before and after hepatic artery embolization were retrospectively compared and the clinical outcomes after hepatic artery embolization were analyzed. Angiographic findings were also analyzed to reveal any association with development of ischemic liver injuries after hepatic artery embolization.

RESULTS

Ischemic liver injuries were observed in 15 (83%) of 18 patients undergoing hepatic artery embolization for postoperative hemorrhage. Injuries included hepatic infarction combined with abscess in one (5%) patient, hepatic infarction in 12 (67%) patients, and transient hepatic ischemia/dysfunction in two (11%). As for the extent of hepatic infarction, lobar infarction developed in two patients and subsegmental infarction in 11. One patient with right hepatic lobar infarction died of hepatic failure 11 days after hepatic artery embolization. In the other 14 patients with ischemic liver injuries, the elevated liver enzymes returned to baseline levels within two weeks. All of the four patients with portal vein stenosis, four patients with no hepatic arterial flow on post-embolization angiogram, and one patient with both had hepatic infarction after hepatic artery embolization. No ischemic liver injuries developed after hepatic artery embolization in three patients with no portal vein stenosis and bilobar hepatic arterial flow via the left hepatic artery aberrantly arising from the left gastric artery or from the common hepatic artery.

CONCLUSION

Ischemic liver injuries can develop in most patients undergoing hepatic artery embolization for postoperative arterial hemorrhage after hepatobiliary pancreatic surgery; hepatic infarction appears to be the most frequent type of ischemic liver injury. Hepatic artery embolization for postoperative arterial hemorrhage after hepatobiliary pancreatic surgery may carry a great risk of ischemic liver injury if a patient has portal vein stenosis or no aberrant hepatic artery.

Management of postoperative arterial hemorrhage after pancreato-biliary surgery according to the site of bleeding: re-laparotomy or interventional radiology

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE

Intra-abdominal arterial hemorrhage is still one of the most serious complications after pancreato-biliary surgery. We retrospectively analyzed our experiences with 15 patients in order to establish a therapeutic strategy for postoperative arterial hemorrhage following pancreato-biliary surgery.

METHODS

Between August 1981 and November 2007, 15 patients developed massive intra-abdominal arterial bleeding after pancreato-biliary surgery. The initial surgery of these 15 patients were pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy (PPPD) (7 patients), hemihepatectomy and caudate lobectomy with extrahepatic bile duct resection or PPPD (4 patients), Whipple's pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) (3 patients), and total pancreatectomy (1 patient). Twelve patients were managed by transcatheter arterial embolization and three patients underwent re-laparotomy.

RESULTS

Patients were divided into two groups according to the site of bleeding: SMA group, superior mesenteric artery (4 patients); HA group, stump of gastroduodenal artery, right hepatic artery, common hepatic artery, or proper hepatic artery (11 patients). In the SMA group, re-laparotomy and coil embolization for pseudoaneurysm were performed in three and one patients, respectively, but none of the patients survived. In the HA group, all 11 patients were managed by transcatheter arterial embolization. None of four patients who had major hepatectomy with extrahepatic bile duct resection survived. Six of seven patients (85.7%) who had pancreatectomy survived, although hepatic infarction occurred in four.

CONCLUSIONS

Management of postoperative arterial hemorrhage after pancreato-biliary surgery should be done according to the site of bleeding and the initial operative procedure. Careful consideration is required for indication of interventional radiology for bleeding from SMA after pancreatectomy and hepatic artery after major hepatectomy with bilioenteric anastomosis.

Emergency percutaneous treatment in iatrogenic hepatic arterial injuries

The purpose of this report is to present our experience in the emergency percutaneous treatment of patients with iatrogenic hepatic arterial injury (IHAI). Seven patients (six men, one woman; age range 19-78 years; mean age 63 years) with IHAI secondary to surgical or percutaneous procedures were treated with endovascular percutaneous procedures. We performed six transhepatic arterial embolization (TAE) and one placement of an endograft stent. Follow-up was carried out by ultrasound (US) or computed tomography (CT) after 1, 3, 6, and 12 months, yearly thereafter and by laboratory tests in the first 6 months to completely exclude occult and asymptomatic bleeding. All procedures had 100% technical success. No case of further bleeding was seen at follow-up. In one patient, we detected one abscess after 3 weeks, which was treated by antibiotic therapy. In conclusion, endovascular treatment currently represents a valid option in emergency settings, as it the enables diagnosis and treatment of IHAI in a single session.

Late hemorrhage after pancreatoduodenectomy and heavy ion beam therapy

The patient was a 57-year-old man diagnosed with cancer of the pancreatic head. After treatment by heavy ion beam therapy, pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy was performed. The tumor was pT3, pN0, pM0, stage IIA. Sixteen months after the surgery, the patient was admitted to the hospital because he was vomiting blood. Hemorrhaging caused by failure of the cut end of the gastroduodenal artery into the elevated jejunum was confirmed by angiogram, and the hemorrhaging could be stopped by a transcatheter arterial embolization operation. Twenty-four months after surgery, the patient was readmitted because he was once again vomiting blood. Hemorrhaging from the elevated jejunum was suspected by hemorrhagic scintigram, but the source could not be identified on further examination, and the choice of treatment was difficult. The patient died on the 9th day after admittance to the hospital. Even on examination at autopsy, the source of the hemorrhaging could not be identified. No recurrence of cancer could be found. This has proven to be a perplexing case, in that hemorrhaging from the end of the routinely cut gastroduodenal artery occurred 16 and 24 months after heavy ion beam therapy and pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy for pancreatic cancer.

Management of massive arterial hemorrhage after pancreatobiliary surgery: does embolotherapy contribute to successful outcome?

Massive arterial hemorrhage is, although unusual, a life-threatening complication of major pancreatobiliary surgery. Records of 351 patients who underwent major surgery for malignant pancreatobiliary disease were reviewed in this series. Thirteen patients (3.7%) experienced massive hemorrhage after surgery. Complete hemostasis by transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) or re-laparotomy was achieved in five patients and one patient, respectively. However, 7 of 13 cases ended in fatality, which is a 54% mortality rate. Among six survivors, one underwent selective TAE for a pseudoaneurysm of the right hepatic artery (RHA). Three patients underwent TAE proximal to the proper hepatic artery (PHA): hepatic inflow was maintained by successful TAE of the gastroduodenal artery in two and via a well-developed subphrenic artery in one. One patient had TAE of the celiac axis for a pseudoaneurysm of the splenic artery (SPA), and hepatic inflow was maintained by the arcades around the pancreatic head. One patient who experienced a pseudoaneurysm of the RHA after left hemihepatectomy successfully underwent re-laparotomy, ligation of RHA, and creation of an ileocolic arterioportal shunt. In contrast, four of seven patients with fatal outcomes experienced hepatic infarction following TAE proximal to the PHA or injury of the common hepatic artery during angiography. One patient who underwent a major hepatectomy for hilar bile duct cancer had a recurrent hemorrhage after TAE of the gastroduodenal artery and experienced hepatic failure. In the two patients with a pseudoaneurysm of the SPA or the superior mesenteric artery, an emergency re-laparotomy was required to obtain hemostasis because of worsening clinical status. Selective TAE distal to PHA or in the SPA is usually successful. TAE proximal to PHA must be restricted to cases where collateral hepatic blood flow exists. Otherwise or for a pseudoaneurysm of the superior mesenteric artery, endovascular stenting, temporary creation of an ileocolic arterioportal shunt, or vascular reconstruction by re-laparotomy is an alternative.

Risk factors for and management of delayed intraperitoneal hemorrhage after pancreatic and biliary surgery

BACKGROUND

Delayed intraperitoneal hemorrhage (DIH) is still an important cause of postoperative mortality in pancreatic and biliary surgery.

METHODS

Sixty-nine patients who underwent pancreatic and biliary surgery with skeletonization for lymphadenectomy of the hepatoduodenal ligament between April 2002 and March 2005 were included in this study. Statistical analyses of the risk factors for DIH were performed using both univariate and multivariate modalities.

RESULTS

DIH occurred in 4 patients (5.8%) within a median time of 15 days after surgery. Stepwise logistic regression analysis identified intra-abdominal abscess formation as the independent predictor of DIH. All 4 patients had a sentinel bleed before the onset of DIH. Three patients were treated by transarterial embolization and 1 patient was treated by surgical intervention. Three patients had liver abscess after hemostasis of DIH, but all 4 patients recovered and were discharged from the hospital.

CONCLUSIONS

A computed tomography angiography should be performed on patients with intra-abdominal abscess formation and sentinel bleed after pancreatic and biliary surgery to check if a pseudoaneurysm has formed.

Improved outcomes in postoperative and pancreatitis-related visceral pseudoaneurysms

Pseudoaneurysm (PSA) of the visceral arterial tree is an uncommon but highly lethal complication of pancreatic surgery and pancreatitis. Surgical and angiographic interventions are used in treatment; however, optimal therapy remains unclear. We hypothesized that the natural history of PSA is different in these discrete clinical settings. From 1995-2005, 37 patients with PSA were treated: 13 after pancreatic surgery and 24 in the setting of pancreatitis. Postoperative patients most frequently presented with bleeding (92%), either from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract or a surgical drain. In this group, the diagnosis was most commonly made by angiography (77%), and 62% had a pancreatic fistula. In patients with pancreatitis, abdominal pain was the only presenting symptom in 62%, and GI bleeding was present in 29%. Eighty-seven percent had an associated pseudocyst or fluid collection. Interventional radiologic therapy successfully arrested hemorrhage in all 35 patients in whom it was employed. There were four false negative angiograms, and two patients required repeated interventions for rebleeding. The overall mortality was 14%. Pseudoaneurysms present differently in these two clinical settings, but transcatheter intervention is the first treatment of choice in clinically stable patients. Early recognition and prompt angiographic occlusion leads to improved outcomes.

Transarterial embolization for postoperative hemorrhage after abdominal surgery

The study goal was to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and clinical outcome of transarterial embolization for postoperative hemorrhage after abdominal surgery. Thirty-three patients were referred for angiography because of gastrointestinal or intra-abdominal bleeding after abdominal surgery. Urgent angiography and transarterial embolization was performed in all 33 patients. The clinical and angiographic features were retrospectively reviewed. Angiography revealed a discrete bleeding focus in 26 (79%) of 33 patients. Transarterial embolization was technically successful in 24 (92%) of 26 patients with a discrete bleeding focus. Rebleeding occurred in four (17%) of 24 patients. They were successfully managed with repeat embolization. There was no procedure-related complication during follow-up period. Angiography has a high detection rate of bleeding site in patients with postoperative hemorrhage after abdominal surgery. Transarterial embolization is considered to be an effective and safe means in the management of postoperative hemorrhage.

A Rare Case of Jejunal Arterio-Venous Fistula: Treatment with Superselective Catheter Embolization with a Tracker-18 Catheter and Microcoils

Arterio-venous fistulas may develop spontaneously, following trauma or infection, or be iatrogenic in nature. We present a rare case of a jejunal arterio- venous fistula in a 35-year-old man with a history of pancreatic head resection that had been performed two years previously because of chronic pancreatitis. The patient was admitted with acute upper abdominal pain, vomiting and an abdominal machinery-type bruit. The diagnosis of a jejunal arterio-venous fistula was established by MR imaging. Transfemoral angiography was performed to assess the possibility of catheter embolization. The angiographic study revealed a small aneurysm of the third jejunal artery, abnormal early filling of dilated jejunal veins and marked filling of the slightly dilated portal vein (13-14 mm). We considered the presence of segmental portal hypertension. The patient was treated with coil embolization in the same angiographic session. This case report demonstrates the importance of auscultation of the abdomen in the initial clinical examination. MR imaging and color Doppler ultrasound are excellent noninvasive tools in establishing the diagnosis. The role of interventional radiological techniques in the treatment of early portal hypertension secondary to jejunal arterio-venous fistula is discussed at a time when this condition is still asymptomatic. A review of the current literature is included.

[Rupture of a jejunal artery pseudo-aneurysm after a cephalic duodenopancreatectomy]

Arterial pseudo-aneurysms complicating pancreaticoduodenectomy are rare but have a poor prognosis. They usually result from arterial erosion due to pancreatic fistula. The authors report a pseudo-aneurysm with an uncommon localization (first jejunal artery), diagnosed after a negative first arteriography, and successfully treated by radiological embolization. Special features of pseudo-aneurysms complicating pancreaticoduodenectomy are reviewed.