Chronic pancreaticopleural fistulas

N. Rotman and P. L. Fagniez

We report two cases of chronic pancreaticopleural fistulas occurring in chronic pancreatitis. In both cases the primary clinical manifestation was a recurrent left pleural effusion with a high content of pancreatic amylase. The pleural effusion was associated with subcutaneous fat necrotic lesions in one patient, and with expectoration of an amylase-rich fluid in the other. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography is important because this examination allows a precise evaluation of the ductal morphology and is indispensable to the surgical procedure. We recommend surgical treatment when the fistula does not close spontaneously within two weeks. Both patients were successfully treated by surgery.