Diagnosis and treatment of hemosuccus pancreaticus during a nonbleeding episode: A case report of a patient with obscure intermittent gastrointestinal bleeding and silent chronic pancreatitis

Background: Hemorrhage from the pancreatic duct, i.e. hemosuccus pancreaticus (HP), is a rare cause of gastrointestinal bleeding. This potentially life-threatening complication of chronic pancreatitis may pose a significant diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma, especially in patients with silent forms...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Pancreatology : official journal of the International Association of Pancreatology (IAP) ... [et al.] 2004, Vol.4 (1), p.7-11
Main Authors: Strömmer, Lisa, Albiin, Nils, Calissendorff, Bertil, Granlund, Håkan, Permert, Johan
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Amylases - blood
Blood Transfusion
Case Report
Chronic Disease
Embolization
Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage - diagnosis
Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage - etiology
Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage - therapy
Hemorrhage - diagnosis
Hemorrhage - therapy
Hemosuccus pancreaticus
Humans
Male
Medicin och hälsovetenskap
Middle Aged
Pain
Pancreatic Diseases - diagnosis
Pancreatic Diseases - therapy
Pancreatic Ducts
Pancreatitis - complications
Pancreatitis - diagnosis
Splenic artery
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
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Summary:Background: Hemorrhage from the pancreatic duct, i.e. hemosuccus pancreaticus (HP), is a rare cause of gastrointestinal bleeding. This potentially life-threatening complication of chronic pancreatitis may pose a significant diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma, especially in patients with silent forms of the disease. Methods: We report a case of a 64-year-old man with no history or symptoms but positive findings of chronic calcifying pancreatitis at computed tomography (CT) scan. Results: The patient presented with repeated episodes of gastrointestinal bleeding requiring transfusion and did not, until later in the disease, develop hyperamylasemia and epigastric pain. Repeated endoscopies could not reveal the source of bleeding. The radiological diagnosis and successful transcatheter embolization of a small splenic pseudoaneurysm were performed during an interval when the patient was asymptomatic and showed no signs of bleeding. Conclusion: We suggest that when HP is suspected, a contrast-enhanced CT angiography with reconstruction of the arteries should be performed regardless of whether the patient shows signs of active bleeding or not.
ISSN:1424-3903
1424-3911
DOI:10.1159/000077022