Post-traumatic pancreatitis with associated aneurysm of the splenic artery: report of 2 cases and review of the literature

Abstract

In patients with acute pancreatitis, profuse gastrointestinal bleeding is associated with a high death rate. The cause of such bleeding must be evaluated and the bleeding controlled urgently. Aneurysm formation is usually the cause of the bleeding. Angiography is needed to make a definitive diagnosis and the bleeding site should be controlled by angiographic embolization if possible. If this fails, aneurysm resection is necessary. Two patients are described. Both had aneurysms of the splenic artery, presenting as massive gastrointestinal bleeding in one patient and bleeding into an associated pseudocyst in the other. They required surgical repair, which was successful in both cases.