Emergency pancreaticoduodenectomy with delayed reconstruction for bleeding: a life saving procedure

Emergency pancreaticoduodenectomy with delayed reconstruction can be performed as a life saving procedure in case of massive bleeding uncontrolled with conventional hemostatic techniques. The authors report herein the case of a 39-yr-old patient with an acute episode of chronic pancreatitis-induced massive bleeding successfully treated by this unorthodox technique. The concept of damage control surgery with abbreviated laparotomy and planned reconstruction could be useful in selected cases outside the trauma setting.