Acute parent artery dissection as a complication of mesenteric endovascular coil embolisation for pancreatic pseudoaneurysm

Spontaneous rupture of an intrahepatic aneurysm of the right hepatic artery caused by segmental arterial mediolysis

Segmental arterial mediolysis (SAM) is a non-arteriosclerotic, non-inflammatory arteriopathy characterised by dissecting aneurysms and most commonly found in abdominal arteries. A rupture of a visceral artery aneurysm is generally associated with high mortality. We present the case of a 57-year-old woman with a rupture of an intrahepatic aneurysm that led to intra-abdominal haemorrhage. The patient was surgically treated by evacuating the abdominal haematoma and ligature of the right hepatic artery. Histology of the right hepatic artery revealed the diagnosis of SAM. Six months postoperatively, the patient was in excellent physical condition with normal liver function and arterial blood flow of the right hepatic sections over collateral circulation.

Superior mesenteric artery dissection as a complication of an endovascular attempt to treat aneurysms of the pancreaticoduodenal arteries

A case of iatrogenic dissection of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) in a 42-year old woman during an attempt of endovascular treatment of aneurysms of the pancreaticoduodenal arteries coexisting with a stenosis of the coeliac trunk is presented. The dissection occurred most probably during insertion of an introducer sheath into the SMA. The patient at that moment reported a short-lasting abdominal pain and after that remained asymptomatic. Due to technical difficulties, the attempt of endovascular management of pancreaticoduodenal aneurysms was abandoned. The completion angiography revealed the occlusion of the SMA. The patient underwent an emergency laparotomy; pancreaticoduodenal aneurysms were excised and SMA dissection was repaired with endarterectomy and a patch closure. Postoperative recovery was uneventful and the patient remained asymptomatic during a 30-month follow-up. The case underscores the importance of completion angiography after endovascular interventions in the SMA since the early period of its occlusion may be asymptomatic.

Coil migration--a rare complication of endovascular exclusion of visceral artery pseudoaneurysms and aneurysms

INTRODUCTION

We describe a case of metallic, angiographic coil migration, following radiological exclusion of a gastroduodenal artery pseudoaneurysm secondary to chronic pancreatitis.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A 55-year-old man presented to the out-patient clinic with chronic, intermittent, post-prandial, abdominal pain, associated with nausea, vomiting and weight loss. He was known to have chronic pancreatitis and liver disease secondary to alcohol abuse and previously underwent angiographic exclusion of a gastroduodenal artery pseudoaneurysm. During subsequent radiological and endoscopic investigation, an endovascular coil was discovered in the gastric pylorus, associated with ulceration and cavitation. This patient was managed conservatively and enterally fed via naso-jejunal catheter endoscopically placed past the site of the migrated coil. This patient is currently awaiting biliary bypass surgery for chronic pancreatitis, and definitive coil removal will occur concurrently.

CONCLUSIONS

Literature review reveals that this report is only the eighth to describe coil migration following embolisation of a visceral artery pseudoaneurysm or aneurysm. Endovascular embolisation of pseudoaneurysms and aneurysms is generally safe and effective. More common complications of visceral artery embolisation include rebleeding, pseudoaneurysm reformation and pancreatitis.