Acute pancreatitis as a complication of polyarteritis nodosa

Conclusions: Polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) must be considered as one of the ra re causes of "idiopathic" acute necrotizing pancreatitis. Background: PAN is characterized by panmural inflammation of arterioles cau sing arteriolar ectasia, aneurysm formation, and thrombosis, resulting in o rgan ischemia. Methods: We report a case of necrotizing pancreatitis associated with segme ntal necrosis of the liver and spleen due to polyarteritis nodosa. Results: Five previously reported cases of documented acute pancreatitis se condary to PAN have been identified from the English literature. The mechan ism through which pancreatic ischemia results in acute pancreatitis is unkn own. Although limited pancreatic infarction is common in PAN, necrotizing p ancreatitis is rare, and the poor overall prognosis of PAN is owing largely to other organ complications.