[Splenic infarction secondary to acute pancreatitis].
OBJECTIVE
the close anatomic relationship of the pancreas with the splenic vessels and the spleen is responsible for splenic complications in the course of acute pancreatitis. Our objective was to report two cases of severe acute pancreatitis complicated by splenic infarction.


METHODS
in a three-month period of time two patients were diagnosed with splenic infarction secondary to acute pancreatitis. In both cases splenic infarction diagnosis and follow-up were carried out using computed tomography.


RESULTS
in the first case images clearly showed a narrowing of the splenic artery due to the inflammatory pancreatic condition. In the second case no involvement of the splenic vessels could be demonstrated, hence the only possible etiological explanation was a hypercoagulability state generated by pancreatitis.


CONCLUSIONS
it would be advisable that splenic complications were added to the list of relevant extrapancreatic manifestations. CT is very useful for the diagnosis and follow-up of splenic complications arising in acute pancreatitis.
Arenal Vera
J J
JJ
Servicios de Cirugía, Hospital de Medina del Campo, Valladolid.
Said
A
A
Guerro
J A
JA
Otero
M
M
Gil
I
I
D000208:Acute Disease; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000150:complications*; D013159:Splenic Infarction / Q000209:etiology*