[Splenic complications of chronic pancreatitis. Clinical and experimental study]

Splenic complications of chronic pancreatitis appear to be less exceptional than is usually accepted, particularly since preoperative diagnosis has been facilitated by ultrasound and abdominal scan imaging. Complications noted in 37 cases were: infarcts (2 cases), hematoma or false blood cysts (26 cases) and rupture (9 cases). The splenic infarcts were revealed by digestive hemorrhage, the false blood cysts of spleen by a painful mass in left hypochondrium associated with pleural effusion and rupture of spleen by an acute hemoperitoneum. Treatment included splenectomy in 19 cases, splenectomy caudal pancreatectomy in 17 cases and drainage of a splenic hematoma in one patient. Operative mortality was 16.2% and the long-term prognosis was poor and related to underlying condition. Data from an experimental study suggest that the effect of an episode of acute pancreatitis on the splenic pedicle is the most important physiopathologic factor. A hemorrhagic infarct or infarction of splenic parenchyma are common starting points for all clinicopathologic forms described.