Pancreatic Pseudocyst after Fully Covered Self-expandable Metallic Stent Placement: A Case Report

Intern Med. 2024 Feb 26. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.3178-23. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

A 70-year-old woman presented with stage III pancreatic head cancer. After endoscopic sphincterotomy, a fully covered self-expandable metallic stent (FCSEMS) was placed in the common bile duct to manage jaundice. The patient developed a fever and abdominal pain 40 days after stent placement, with a suspected diagnosis of infected pancreatic pseudocyst. Purulent discharge from the papilla was observed during FCSEMS removal, and pancreatography revealed a pseudocyst connected to the main pancreatic duct. The pancreatic pseudocyst resolved after transpapillary drainage. Pancreatic pseudocysts should be suspected after biliary FCSEMS placement, and prompt removal and endoscopic drainage of the FCSEMS should be considered.

Keywords: fully covered self-expandable metallic stent; pancreatic cancer; pancreatic pseudocyst.