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Author Spotlight: Using Point-of-Care Ultrasound for Comprehensive Evaluation of the Abdominal Aorta
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Visceral Arterial Pseudoaneurysms-A Clinical Review
Ashita Ashish Sule1, Shreya Sah2, Justin Kwan3
1Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 10 Medical Drive, Singapore 117597, Singapore.
Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania)
|July 30, 2025
Summary
Visceral arterial pseudoaneurysms (VAPAs) are rare but dangerous vascular conditions. Early diagnosis and intervention are vital for managing these splenic artery pseudoaneurysms and preventing high mortality rates.
Area of Science:
- Vascular Surgery
- Interventional Radiology
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Visceral arterial pseudoaneurysms (VAPAs) are uncommon vascular lesions with a 0.1-0.2% incidence, frequently affecting the splenic artery.
- Partial disruption of the arterial wall, involving intima and media, characterizes VAPAs.
- High rupture risk and a 90% mortality rate for unmanaged cases underscore the critical need for timely recognition and intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize current knowledge on visceral arterial pseudoaneurysms (VAPAs).
- To review epidemiology, etiology, clinical presentation, diagnostic methods, and management strategies for VAPAs.
- To group VAPAs by embryological origin: foregut, midgut, and hindgut.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive literature search was conducted on PubMed for VAPA-related articles.
- Included studies encompassed case reports, review articles, and cohort studies.
- VAPAs were categorized based on their embryological origin.
Main Results:
- Chronic pancreatitis is the leading cause of VAPAs, with splenic artery involvement in 60-65% of cases.
- Other etiologies include acute pancreatitis, iatrogenic trauma, infections, and vascular diseases.
- Diagnosis utilizes non-invasive (CT angiography, Doppler ultrasound) and invasive (digital subtraction angiography) methods, with the latter as the gold standard.
Conclusions:
- VAPAs represent a critical condition necessitating prompt recognition and intervention.
- Management strategies include surgical and endovascular approaches, with a trend towards minimally invasive techniques.
- Further research is needed to enhance diagnostic accuracy and refine treatment protocols for improved patient outcomes.
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