Sudden death due to rupture of the arteria pancreatica magna: a complication of an immature pseudocyst in chronic pancreatitis.
Massive haemorrhage due to rupture of single pancreatic or peripancreatic vessels is a very rare but potentially lethal complication of acute and chronic pancreatitis. The splenic, gastroduodenal, and pancreatoduodenal arteries are the more commonly involved vessels, and rupture occurs mostly as a complication of large mature pseudocysts. We report a sudden death due to massive bleeding caused by rupture of the great pancreatic artery (arteria pancreatica magna), a complication of a small immature pseudocyst, in a 49-year-old male alcoholic with inactive chronic pancreatitis.
Lunetta
P
P
Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland. philippe.lunetta@helsinki.fi
Penttilä
A
A
Salovaara
R
R
Sajantila
A
A
D001158:Arteries; D003645:Death, Sudden / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010179:Pancreas / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000473:pathology; D010192:Pancreatic Pseudocyst / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D019512:Pancreatitis, Alcoholic / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous