Pancreatitis after percutaneous ethanol injection into HCC: a minireview of the literature.
Deaths after percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) into hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) may occur within a few hours to a few days following the procedure because of hemoperitoneum and haemorrhage from oesophageal varices or hepatic insufficiency. Pancreatitis has been recently reported as a rare lethal complication of intra-arterial PEI, another modality for treating HCCs. In this minireview, we analyze the literature concerning the development of acute pancreatitis after PEI. Pathogenesis of pancreatitis from opioids and ethanol is also addressed. Treatment with opioids to reduce the patient's abdominal pain after PEI in combination with the PEI itself may lead to direct toxic effects, thus favouring the development of pancreatitis.
Zardi
Enrico M
EM
Department of Clinical Medicine, Campus Bio-Medico University, Rome, Italy. enricozardi@hotmail.it
Di Matteo
Francesco
F
Santini
Daniele
D
Uwechie
Valentina
V
Crucitti
Pierfilippo
P
Carassiti
Massimiliano
M
Picardi
Antonio
A
Perrella
Eleonora
E
Caricato
Marco
M
Tonini
Giuseppe
G
Coppola
Roberto
R
Afeltra
Antonella
A
D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007261:Infusions, Intra-Arterial; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology
D000431:Ethanol