An Unusual Presentation of Fatal Acute Haemorrhagic Pancreatitis in a Young Adult

Acute haemorrhagic pancreatitis is a medical emergency and the most severe form of Acute Pancreatitis. It is characterized by severe epigastric pain that radiates to the back and is associated with vomiting. If not diagnosed and managed promptly, it may result in sudden, unexpected, unexplained deaths which fall within the medicolegal domain. In such cases, the role of an autopsy is of paramount importance to determine the cause of death. Here we report a young adult, who presented to the local hospital with vague abdominal discomfort and vomiting following alcohol intake and referred to our tertiary care center for further management. But he was received dead on arrival at our hospital. The diagnosis of acute haemorrhagic pancreatitis was made only after the post mortem examination. Awareness of the physicians about the unusual symptoms in acute haemorrhagic pancreatitis and the need for pancreas examination at autopsy of all sudden deaths is emphasised.