Acquired Pancreatic Arteriovenous Malformation

Pancreatitis may be complicated with a spectrum of arterial and venous abnormalities. Arterial complications most frequently involve formation of a pseudoaneurysm [1]. Less frequently, pancreatitis causes arterial thrombotic occlusion, which can lead to splenic or gastrointestinal infarction. Venous complications are relatively common and are related to splanchnic vein thrombosis. The splenic vein is especially vulnerable and approximately 50% of patients with splenic vein thrombosis will develop ‘leftsided’ portal hypertension with portoportal or portosystemic collaterals [2, 3]. Pancreatic arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is a rare, mostly congenital, vascular anomaly. Several case reports have described pancreatic AVM as a cause for focal pancreatitis [4–6]. Conversely, some authors have suggested that pancreatitis may also be complicated with the formation of a pancreatic AVM [7, 8]. We describe a case, the first to the best of our knowledge, which can clearly demonstrate a secondary pancreatic AVM due to pancreatic inflammation.