Management of bleeding from pseudoaneurysms following pancreaticoduodenectomy.
OBJECTIVE
To review the clinical course and the management of pseudoaneurysms post-pancreaticoduodenectomy.


METHODS
Medical records of 907 patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomies from January 1995 to May 2007 were evaluated retrospectively. The clinical course, management strategy, and outcome of ruptured pseudoaneurysms cases were analyzed.


RESULTS
Twenty-seven (3.0%) of 907 cases had post-operative hemorrhage from ruptured pseudoaneurysms. Pancreatic fistula was evident in 12 (44%) cases. Sentinel bleeding appeared in 21 (77.8%) cases. Of the 27 cases, 11 (41%) cases demonstrated bleeding pseudoaneurysm of the ligated gastroduodenal artery, 8 (30%) of the right, proper, common hepatic artery, 2 (7%) of the right gastric artery, and 4 (15%) of the peripancreatic arteries. The remaining two patients died due to sudden-onset massive hemorrhage and pseudoaneurysm rupture was suspected. Emergent operation was performed on 2 cases directly without angiography. Angiography was attempted in 23 cases. Eighteen (78.2%) cases succeeded to hemostasis; the five failed cases were explored. After embolization of the hepatic artery, five cases developed liver abscesses or infarction and a single case of hepatic failure expired. Gastroduodenal artery embolization with common hepatic artery stent insertion was performed to enhance hepatic artery flow in a single case and was successfully controlled.


CONCLUSIONS
Bleeding pseudoaneurysms are among the most serious and fatal complications following pancreaticoduodenectomy. Diagnostic angiography has been preferred over endoscopy and is rapidly becoming the standard therapeutic treatment for bleeding pseudoaneurysms.
Lee
Hyung Geun
HG
Department of Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 50 Irwon-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul 135-710, South Korea.
Heo
Jin Seok
JS
Choi
Seong Ho
SH
Choi
Dong Wook
DW
D017541:Aneurysm, False / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D000792:Angiography; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D006489:Hemostatic Techniques; D006801:Humans; D016577:Pancreaticoduodenectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous