Idiopathic duodenal obstruction: an unappreciated complication of pancreatitis.

Intestinal obstruction as a complication of pancreatitis is infrequently recognized. Only four cases of idiopathic duodenal obstruction associated with pancreatitis have been previously reported. In a three-year study of 878 patients with pancreatitis, nine cases of idiopathic duodenal obstruction associated with pancreatitis have been found. Each of the nine cases was characterized by frank obstruction in the second or third portions of the duodenum and an intact mucosa in the area of stricture. Four patients gave an abrupt history of moderately severe pancreatitis. Resolution of the duodenal obstruction occurred by three weeks in each of these four cases. Surgical exploration in one of these patients revealed marked duodenal edema with intramural hematoma. The remaining five patients reported a chronic history of obstruction. Inadequate resolution of the obstruction after four weeks of hyperalimentation led to surgical bypass. Duodenal biopsy specimens revealed inflammation, muscle destruction, and extensive fibrosis. Duodenal involvement in the inflammatory process of moderately severe pancreatitis was discovered in 25% of the upper gastrointestinal studies, but was usually self-limiting and of a mild degree. Since contiguous duodenal edema is common and fibrosing pancreatoduodenitis only occurs in an occasional patient, surgical intervention for duodenal obstruction associated with pancreatitis should only be considered after demonstrated failure of conservative management.