The Relation of Pancreatic Disease to Weber-Christian Disease

A case of acute Weber-Christian disease is reported, in which pancreatitis was accompanied by evidence of dissemination of pancreatic enzymes causing necrosis of fat and vessels. There is clinical and experimental evidence in the literature to suggest that widespread vascular dissemination of lipase occurs in cases of pancreatitis or pancreatic carcinoma. Review of the autopsy literature of cases of Weber-Christian disease shows that a majority had pancreatitis and systemic involvement of fat. A minority showed lesions confined to the panniculus, which tended to ulcerate; these lesions were in other ways not typical of Weber-Christian disease. In this group none had autopsy evidence of pancreatitis.The opinion is expressed that Weber-Christian disease results from disruption of pancreatic tissue and subsequent vascular dissemination of pancreatic enzymes.