Massive intraperitoneal bleeding from tryptic erosions of the splenic vein. Another cause of sudden deterioration during recovery from acute pancreatitis.

Acute bleeding is a rare, but frequently fatal complication of pancreatitis. Bleeding into the gastrointestinal tract may occur owing to gastric or duodenal erosions, peptic ulcers, or varices in the esophagus, stomach, or colon following splenic vein thrombosis, or intraperitoneally from eroded vessels in pancreatic pseudocysts or expanding pseudoaneurysms. We report a novel case of massive intraperitoneal bleeding owing to tryptic erosions of the splenic vein in a patient recovering from acute pancreatitis. Diagnosis of the bleeding was made by ultrasound and ultrasound-guided blood aspiration. The source of the bleeding was identified intraoperatively, and a left-sided pancreatectomy and a splenectomy were performed.