Hemosuccus pancreaticus: a rare cause of gastrointestinal bleeding
A 55-year-old male diagnosed case of ethanol-related chronic pancreatitis presented with frequent episodes of melena associated with paroxysms of abdominal pain. He was given blood transfusions elsewhere for severe anemia. As patient had persistent GI bleeding with repeated drop in hemoglobin, he was referred for further evaluation and management. On clinical examination, he had profuse sweating, hypotension, tachycardia, severe pallor and mild tenderness in the epigastrium. His laboratory investigations revealed hemoglobin of 7.1 g% and hematocrit of 22%, mild renal failure and increased serum triglycerides. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography of the abdomen showed evidence of chronic calcifying pancreatitis (). Esophagogastroduodenoscopy with a standard scope and colonoscopy were normal. Repeat esophagogastroduodenoscopy with a standard scope after an episode of melena showed active bleeding from the ampulla (). Angiographic study could not localize the site of bleeding. Endoscopic ultrasound showed chronic pancreatitis with a heterogeneous inflammatory lesion in the body of the pancreas (). As the bleeding source could not be localized and the patient had ongoing melena and drop in hemoglobin, emergency exploratory laparotomy was performed after initial hemodynamic stabilization. Pancreas was seen adherent to splenic vessels and hilum. There was evidence of splenic vein rupturing into the main pancreatic duct. Distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy was performed. The patient had an uneventful recovery postoperatively. Postoperative histology demonstrated chronic calcifying pancreatitis (), lymphnodes with reactive hyperplasia and congested spleen (). He was discharged in a hemodynamically stable condition and there was no further recurrence of GI bleeding after 6 months of follow up.