Covered stents for late postoperative arterial hemorrhage after pancreaticoduodenectomy.

The use of covered stents in treating delayed postoperative hepatic artery hemorrhage after pancreaticoduodenectomy may preserve hepatic arterial flow. The authors report two cases of massive hemorrhage after pancreaticoduodenectomy that were successfully treated with covered stents. Computed tomographic angiography demonstrated postprocedure patency of the hepatic arteries at 13 and 15 months, respectively. When technically feasible, percutaneous placement of stent-grafts may be used as a first-line intervention in delayed hemorrhage after pancreaticoduodenectomy.