A pancreatic pseudoaneurysm is an uncommon clinical entity. However, it is important to recognize this condition early as it can result in life-threatening complications. A pancreatic pseudoaneurysm usually occurs when there is an erosion of a peripancreatic or pancreatic artery into a pseudocyst. The most common cause of a pancreatic pseudoaneurysm is pancreatitis, but this pathology can also occur in patients who do not develop a pseudocyst. The key difference between a true aneurysm and a pseudocyst is that in the latter, the wall does not consist of normal components of a vessel but instead consists of fibrous and connective tissue.
About 10% of patients with chronic pancreatitis will show some evidence of a pseudoaneurysm when undergoing imaging. These pseudoaneurysms can hemorrhage into the pseudocyst or by forming a fistula into the adjacent hollow organs. Today, the majority are managed with endovascular procedures.
Copyright © 2024, StatPearls Publishing LLC.