Intrapancreatic communication of bile and pancreatic ducts secondary to pancreatic necrosis

B. M. Miller, L. W. Traverso and P. C. Freeny
Department of Surgery, Mason Clinic, Seattle, WA 98111.

An unusual complication of acute necrotizing pancreatitis occurred in which erosion of the intrapancreatic common bile duct and cephalic pancreatic duct formed a pancreaticobiliary cavity. This pancreatic process was observed to enhance during contrast computed tomography and was hypervascular during angiography, making preoperative diagnosis difficult. To our knowledge, the spontaneous development of such a cavity as a complication of acute pancreatitis has not been reported. The patient was successfully treated with pancreaticoduodenectomy.