Endovascular intervention for management of pancreatitis-related bleeding: a retrospective analysis of thirty-seven patients at a single institution.

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to assess the outcome of endovascular intervention for pancreatitis-related hemorrhage at a single institution. METHODS From January 2000 to October 2012, thirty-seven patients underwent endovascular intervention for the management of pancreatitis-related hemorrhage. The underlying etiology of the disease, clinical symptoms and laboratory findings, abnormalities seen on computed tomography, and details regarding the endovascular procedures were assessed, as were the outcome of each procedure and procedure-related complications. RESULTS A total of 41 endovascular procedures were performed in 37 patients. The splenic artery (34.8%) was the most commonly treated artery, and pseudoaneurysm was the most commonly detected abnormality on digital subtraction angiography (78.3%). Transcatheter embolization was performed in the majority of patients (95.1%), while two patients were treated with stent-grafts. Successful hemostasis without rebleeding was achieved in 34 patients (91.9%). Two cases of rebleeding were successfully treated by reintervention. Focal splenic infarction, which developed in eight patients, was either asymptomatic or accompanied by mild, transient fever. Splenic abscess was the only major complication occurring in three patients. Two of these patients died from resulting sepsis, while the third recovered after antibiotic treatment. CONCLUSION Endovascular management is effective for achieving hemostasis in patients with pancreatitis-related bleeding and demonstrates low recurrence and mortality rates.