Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Thrombin Injection for the Treatment of Pancreatic Pseudoaneurysm

Abstract

A pseudoaneurysm is a contained leak from an artery which remains in communication with the arterial lumen. Pseudoaneurysm formation is an uncommon but well-recognised complication of pancreatitis [1]. It is associated with a mortality of up to 50 % [1], or over 90 % if leaking or ruptured and untreated [2]. Conventional treatment is surgical ligation but, more recently, treatment strategies that utilise interventional radiological techniques such as angiographic embolisation have been developed to treat pseudoaneurysms. These techniques require selective catheterisation of the vessel supplying the pseudoaneurysm and its occlusion with coils or other thrombogenic agents.