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Massive bleeding into the upper gastro-intestinal tract in hereditary chronic calcifying pancreatitis in the child

J Ehrensperger1

  • 1Kinderchirurgische Abteilung, Kinderspital Wildermeth, Biel, Schweiz.

Insights

Chronic hereditary calcifying pancreatitis in a child led to severe arterial bleeding. A pancreatic pseudocyst ruptured into the stomach, eroding a gastric artery, a rare but potentially increasing complication.

Area of Science:

  • Gastroenterology
  • Pediatric Surgery
  • Medical Genetics

Background:

  • Chronic hereditary calcifying pancreatitis is a rare condition.
  • Pancreatic pseudocysts can lead to serious complications.
  • Arterial erosion by pseudocysts is a known but infrequent event.

Observation:

  • A young female patient presented with chronic hereditary calcifying pancreatitis.
  • She developed an acute, life-threatening arterial hemorrhage.
  • This bleeding originated from a pancreatic pseudocyst that had spontaneously perforated into the stomach.

Findings:

  • The pseudocyst eroded a gastric wall artery, causing severe upper gastrointestinal bleeding.
  • This case highlights a rare but critical complication of pancreatitis in pediatric patients.
  • The spontaneous perforation and subsequent arterial erosion were the direct cause of the hemorrhage.

Implications:

  • This case suggests a potential for increased frequency of such severe gastrointestinal bleeding in children with pancreatitis and pseudocyst formation.
  • Early recognition and management of pancreatic pseudocysts in pediatric pancreatitis are crucial.
  • Further research into the mechanisms and prevention of pseudocyst-related arterial erosion is warranted.

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