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Case Reports
. 2022 Nov 9;14(11):e31311.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.31311. eCollection 2022 Nov.

Plasma Exchange for the Treatment of Severe Hypertriglyceridemic Pancreatitis With Diabetic Ketoacidosis: A Case Report From Sub-Saharan Africa

Newnex Mongare  1 , Kelvin Orare  1 , Salim Abdallah  1 , Ahmed Sokwala  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Plasma Exchange for the Treatment of Severe Hypertriglyceridemic Pancreatitis With Diabetic Ketoacidosis: A Case Report From Sub-Saharan Africa

Newnex Mongare et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

The triad of acute pancreatitis, diabetic ketoacidosis, and hyperlipidemia is exceedingly rare. Case reports describing this uncommon triad have successfully been managed with insulin infusions only. Herein, we highlight the challenges in making this diagnosis and present Sub-Saharan Africa's first experience with therapeutic plasma exchange in the management of hypertriglyceridemic pancreatitis associated with diabetic ketoacidosis, which was initially refractory to insulin infusion alone.

Keywords: diabetic ketoacidosis; hypertriglyceridemia; pancreatitis; plasma exchange; severe.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Oedematous pancreas with acute free peripancreatic fluid and no evidence of pseudocyst formation
Figure 2
Figure 2. Clogging of plasma exchange by highly lipemic blood
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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