title: Endovascular treatment of arterial bleeding in patients with pancreatitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the technical and clinical success of endovascular treatment of arterial bleeding in pancreatitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  From 1992 to 2005, 28 patients with pancreatitis underwent endovascular treatment of associated arterial lesions. Fifteen patients were affected by acute pancreatitis and 13 by chronic pancreatitis. The diagnosis was obtained according to medical history and clinical and laboratory evidence of disease. Arterial involvement was diagnosed by non-invasive imaging and angiography. After treatment, all patients underwent CT scanning at a minimum of 15, 30 and 90 days. We evaluated the feasibility of embolization and patients' survival at 90 days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Transcatheter embolization was feasible in 26/28 patients (93%). In 2 patients with acute pancreatitis, selective catheterization failed so we could not proceed with the angiographic approach. After treatment, there were 3/26 rebleeds (11.5%), all of whom died within the first week. At 90 days' follow-up, 21/26 patients (81%) were alive. Two of 26 patients (8%) suffered splenic complications. Among the 13 patients with acute pancreatitis, 8 (61.5%) were alive after 90 days. All 13 patients with chronic pancreatitis were alive after 90 days.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Comparing our results with the surgical literature, we found that embolization is less invasive and, at least, as successful as surgery. Thus, it should be considered the first choice in pancreatitis arterial complications.
authors: Department of Morphological and Biomedical Sciences, Radiology Institute, University of Verona, Verona, Italy. giancarlo.mansueto@univr.it
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Mansueto
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Cenzi
authors: M
authors: M
authors: D'Onofrio
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Salvia
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Gottin
authors: A A
authors: AA
authors: Gumbs
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Pozzi Mucelli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000628:therapy*; D006489:Hemostatic Techniques; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010192:Pancreatic Pseudocyst / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies