Splenic artery pseudoaneurysm complicated by haemorrhage into pancreatic pseudocyst: a clinical case

Background. Splenic artery pseudoaneurysm is a rare complication of acute and chronic pancreatitis caused by an arterial wall lesion with aggressive pancreatic enzymes and followed by arrosive bleeding into pseudocyst lumen and the formation of a dense fibrous capsule prone to growth.

Clinical Case Description. Patient M., 61 yo, was emergently admitted to Territorial Clinical Hospital No. 2 with a preliminary diagnosis: Chronic pancreatitis, incomplete remission. Pancreatic pseudocyst. Condition after endoscopic papillosphincterotomy, pancreatic duct stenting. Gastrointestinal haemorrhage. The patient complained of moderate persistent belting upper abdominal and left subcostal pain, nausea, general weakness, black liquid stool over last five days. Pancreonecrosis in history. Pseudocyst formation in two months, endoscopic papillosphincterotomy and pancreatic stenting in hospital, the aforementioned complaints appeared past three months. Moderate anaemia (haemoglobin 73 g/L, erythrocyte count 2.8 x 1012), hyperamylasaemia (amylase 170 U/L), no other pathology in general and biochemic blood panels. The patient was rendered urgent oesophagogastroduodenoscopy for large duodenal papilla, with no evident bleeding detected. Abdominal CT angiography revealed a haemorrhagic mass connected with splenic artery lumen in the projection of pancreatic tail. The patient was transferred to an interventional radiology room for coil embolisation of splenic artery. The postoperative period was benign, and the patient discharged on day 3 after surgery for outpatient surgical patronage. Definite clinical diagnosis: Chronic pancreatitis, incomplete remission. Splenic artery pseudoaneurysm with haemorrhage into pancreatic pseudocyst. Condition after endoscopic papillosphincterotomy, pancreatic duct stenting.

Conclusion. Splenic artery pseudoaneurysm with haemorrhage into pancreatic pseudocyst is reluctant to early diagnosis due to a lacking definite clinical picture and tractable only at an interdisciplinary institution disposing with a rich diagnostic toolkit and sufficiently qualified medical personnel. Endovascular treatment is overall most effective and enables a reliable aneurysm isolation from the splenic artery basin.

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