[Splenic infarction secondary to acute pancreatitis]. / Infarto esplénico secundario a pancreatitis aguda.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: the close anatomic relationship of the pancreas with the splenic vessels and the spleen is responsible for splenic complications in the course of acute pancreatitis. Our objective was to report two cases of severe acute pancreatitis complicated by splenic infarction. PATIENTS: in a three-month period of time two patients were diagnosed with splenic infarction secondary to acute pancreatitis. In both cases splenic infarction diagnosis and follow-up were carried out using computed tomography. RESULTS: in the first case images clearly showed a narrowing of the splenic artery due to the inflammatory pancreatic condition. In the second case no involvement of the splenic vessels could be demonstrated, hence the only possible etiological explanation was a hypercoagulability state generated by pancreatitis. CONCLUSIONS: it would be advisable that splenic complications were added to the list of relevant extrapancreatic manifestations. CT is very useful for the diagnosis and follow-up of splenic complications arising in acute pancreatitis.

Infarto esplénico secundario a pancreatitis aguda / No disponible

Fundamento y objetivo: la estrecha relación anatómica delpáncreas con los vasos esplénicos y el bazo es responsable decomplicaciones esplénicas en el curso de la pancreatitis aguda. Elobjetivo es presentar dos casos clínicos de pancreatitis aguda graveque sufrieron infarto esplénico como complicación de la enfermedadpancreática.Pacientes, participantes: en un periodo de tres meses, dospacientes fueron diagnosticados de infarto esplénico secundario apancreatitis aguda. En ambos casos el diagnóstico y seguimientoevolutivo del infarto esplénico se hizo a través de tomografía axialcomputerizada.Resultados: en el primer paciente, las imágenes muestran deforma inequívoca la afectación de la arteria esplénica por el procesoinflamatorio pancreático. En el segundo, no se pudo demostrarafectación de los vasos esplénicos, por lo que la única posibleexplicación etiológica es un incremento de coagulabilidad intravascular.Conclusiones: sería recomendable añadir las complicacionesesplénicas al conjunto de complicaciones graves extrapancreáticasde la pancreatitis aguda. La tomografía axial computerizada esde gran utilidad para la detección y seguimiento de las complicacionesesplénicas de la pancreatitis aguda

Background and objective: the close anatomic relationshipof the pancreas with the splenic vessels and the spleen is responsiblefor splenic complications in the course of acute pancreatitis.Our objective was to report two cases of severe acute pancreatitiscomplicated by splenic infarction.Patients: in a three-month period of time two patients werediagnosed with splenic infarction secondary to acute pancreatitis.In both cases splenic infarction diagnosis and follow-up were carriedout using computed tomography.Results: in the first case images clearly showed a narrowing ofthe splenic artery due to the inflammatory pancreatic condition. Inthe second case no involvement of the splenic vessels could bedemonstrated, hence the only possible etiological explanation was ahypercoagulability state generated by pancreatitis.Conclusions: it would be advisable that splenic complicationswere added to the list of relevant extrapancreatic manifestations.CT is very useful for the diagnosis and follow-up of splenic complicationsarising in acute pancreatitis