[Hemorrhage from pseudocysts caused by pseudoaneurysms in chronic pancreatitis. Diagnosis and management]

Bleeding pseudocysts respectively pseudoaneurysms represents a seldom complication of chronic pancreatitis in owing to erosion of pancreatic or peripancreatic arteries. The potential rupture into neighbouring organs or in the peritoneal cavity is accompanied with paramount life-threatening risks. During the last years we observed 3 patients with acute intestinal bleeding caused by pseudocysts converted to pseudoaneurysms. The goal of our report is to analyze the diagnostic tools and the management of patients with bleeding pancreatic pseudocysts, also well establish the clinical constellation, which is typical for this complication, the best diagnostic tool and the modalities to immediate control of the acute bleeding situation. All three patients suffered from chronic pancreatitis and alcohol abuse. The first patient had a known pancreatic pseudocyst, which penetrated through the gastric wall and caused a life-threatening bleeding. The second patient was admitted in owing to melena. The examinations yielded a pancreatic pseudocyst with hematosuccus pancreatis. The third patient suffered from abdominal pain and vertigo caused by anemia. With endoscopy, Cat and celiacography a pancreatic pseudocyst with cysto-colic fistula has been identified. The color-doppler ultrasound revealed a pseudoaneurysm supplied from a splenic artery branch. With management of these patients with hemorrhagic complications of pancreatic pseudocysts we acquired the following findings: 1. Patients with known chronic pancreatitis and abdominal tumor, especially when accompanied by epigastric pain and anemia, are highly suspicious for pancreatic pseudoaneurysms. 2. The color-doppler ultrasound is the best diagnostic tool, since this investigation can establish the pseudoaneurysm and identify the source.