Infective aneurysm of the inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery

Gastrointestinal bleeding caused by rupture of a posterior inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery pseudoaneurysm: A case report

BACKGROUND

Gastrointestinal bleeding caused by a ruptured pancreatic pseudoaneurysm is rare, and a pseudoaneurysm of the posterior inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery is especially rare. A 68-year-old man was hospitalized after presenting intermittent black stools and dyspnea accompanied by severe anemia. Angiographic examination revealed that Pseudoaneurysm of the posterior inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery.

METHODS

Angiography was performed and revealed a pseudoaneurysm of the posterior inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery. Subsequently, a blood transfusion and endovascular embolization were performed.

RESULTS

The patient's gastrointestinal bleeding stopped, and the hemoglobin level remained stable. During 1 year of follow-up, the patient remained in a generally good condition.

CONCLUSION

posterior inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery pseudoaneurysmIt is rare and difficult to diagnose, gastrointestinal bleeding is a serious complication, vascular interventional embolization is effective.

Pseudoaneurysm of the Pancreaticoduodenal Artery Associated with Duodenal Diverticulitis

Background

Duodenal diverticula tend to be asymptomatic; however, patients may develop duodenal diverticulitis.

Case Presentation

A 66-year-old Caucasian man presented to our emergency room with a two-day history of right-sided abdominal pain, chills, tachycardia, nausea, and emesis. His WBC, lactic acid, and bilirubin were elevated. CT-scan revealed an inflammatory process involving the gallbladder, the duodenum and ascending colon, a mesenteric soft tissue mass, and a diverticulum of the second portion of the duodenum. He was admitted, antibiotics were started, and he improved clinically over the next 36 hours. Repeat triple contrast CT-scan showed a two cm pseudoaneurysm (PA) of the pancreaticoduodenal artery causing a mesenteric hematoma. The inflammatory changes had significantly improved, and WBC and CRP were normalizing. Repeat CT-scan three days later demonstrated an interval increase in size of the PA. Angiography through celiac access and gastroduodenal artery demonstrated predominant inflow to the PA from the inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery. The superior mesenteric artery was accessed showing a replaced right hepatic artery hindering access to the branch feeding the PA. The patient was transferred to a specialized facility where ultimately occlusion of the PA inflow was obtained. The patient recovered without any complication from this rare condition.

Conclusion

This seems to be the first reported case of duodenal diverticulitis causing a PA of the pancreaticoduodenal artery. Antibiotic therapy together with percutaneous embolization of the bleeding source resulted in a good outcome.

Pseudoaneurysm of the Inferior Pancreaticoduodenal Artery Due to Cholecystitis

Inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery pseudoaneurysms and aneurysms are a rare occurrence, comprising of approximately 10% of visceral artery aneurysms and pseudoaneurysms. The cause is normally due to trauma, iatrogenic or pancreatitis. We present a case of a patient re-presenting to hospital following treatment of acute cholecystitis with epigastric pain, dysphagia, pyrexia, nausea, vomiting and an acute kidney injury. Following cholecystostomy, intravenous fluids and conservative treatment for her symptoms, she failed to improve significantly and was found to have a 6 mm pseudoaneurysm of the inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery on day twenty of her admission. She was transferred to a tertiary centre and was treated with an embolisation and recovered well from the procedure.

A pancreaticoduodenal artery aneurysm

A 70-year-old man was investigated with CT imaging for haematuria. An incidental finding was made of a large inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery aneurysm. Following a period of monitoring, the patient underwent open repair of the aneurysm. This case report highlights an unusual pathology and discusses the clinical complexities related to its management.

Polyarteritis nodosa-induced pancreaticoduodenal artery aneurysmal rupture

Polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) is a systemic, necrotizing vasculitis of small- and medium-sized arteries typically with multiorgan involvement. Most cases of PAN are idiopathic, although hepatitis B or C virus infections and hairy cell leukemia are important in the pathogenesis of some cases. PAN is characterized as segmental transmural inflammation of muscular arteries. Diagnosis is based on clinical suspicion, a negative immunofluorescence test for antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies, and whenever possible, biopsy conformation. Angiographic images may reveal microaneurysms affecting the renal, hepatic, or mesenteric vasculature. Aneurysmal formation and rupture are important complications that can be fatal. Treatment may warrant immunosuppression with steroids and cyclophosphamide. If left untreated, PAN can be fatal. To our knowledge, we report the second documented case of PAN-induced ruptured inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery aneurysm.