THE MANAGEMENT OF BLEEDING FROM A PANCREATIC PSEUDOCYST - A CASE-REPORT

Hemorrhage from pancreatic pseudocyst or a pseudoaneurysm is a rare, f atal complication of chronic pancreatitis. Elastase may cause erosion of adjacent vessels in the course of acute pancreatitis and spontaneou s bleeding may occur. One therapeutic modality is embolotherapy, but s urgery is the traditional therapy. Resection, of the bleeding site of the pancreas, ligation of the affected vessels or compression by occlu ding the cyst with a balloon are good alternatives. We present a case having massive gastric hemorrhage from the splenic artery after cystog astrostomy, treated by occluding the artery with a foley catheter.