Gastroduodenal artery pseudoaneurysm hemorrhage 1 year after laparoscopic distal gastrectomy: a case report

Postoperative bleeding originating from pseudoaneurysms after radical gastrectomy is not common, but it can be fatal. In particular, delayed bleeding that occurs after the seventh postoperative day is rare.

A 54-year-old man underwent laparoscopic distal gastrectomy, D2 lymph node dissection, and Roux en-Y reconstruction for duodenal neuroendocrine tumors. Drainage was performed for a postoperative pancreatic fistula and abdominal abscess. On the 28th postoperative day, he passed a large amount of bloody stool; therefore, emergency esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) and angiography were performed. However, neither examination demonstrated any bleeding foci or pseudoaneurysm. He was conservatively observed and discharged on the 50th postoperative day. Approximately 1 year after the surgery, he passed a bloody stool and experienced hemorrhagic shock. An EGD revealed exposed blood vessels at the duodenal blind end. His condition was diagnosed as a pseudoaneurysm arising from gastroduodenal artery, which ruptured into the duodenum, based on abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography findings. Emergency angiography was performed, and the pseudoaneurysm and artery were successfully embolized.

This case illustrates that there is a possibility of delayed bleeding even 1 year after gastrectomy. Such cases may be serious and require immediate and careful management.