Pancreatic ascites and pleural effusion without pancreatic duct disruption treated with stenting / 대한내과학회지

ABSTRACT

Pancreatic ascites and pleural effusion is a rare complication of inflammatory disease of pancreas. Disruption of the pancreatic duct secondary to inflammatory pancreatic disease results in an internal pancreatic fistula into the peritoneal or pleural cavities. Thus, pancreatic secretion through the internal pancreatic fistula accumulate within the peritoneal or pleural cavities. The diagnosis is strongly suspected by paracentesis and thoracentesis, which demonstrate a markedly elevated amylase and an albumin level in pancreatic ascites and pleural effusion, and is confirmed by observation of pancreatic duct contrast leakage at endoscopic retrograde pancreatography. We report a patient with pancreatic ascites and pleural effusion who had no demonstrable pancreatic duct disruption on endoscopic retrograde pancreatography, but successfully treated by pancreatic duct stent endoscopically.