Hepatic artery reinforcement after post pancreatectomy haemorrhage caused by pancreatitis

Post-pancreatectomy hemorrhage (PPH) is a major complication occurring in 6-8% of patients after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). Arterial bleeding is the most frequent cause. Mortality rate could reach 30% after grade C PPH according to ISGPS classification. Complete interruption of hepatic arterial flow has to be a salvage procedure because of the high risk of intrahepatic abscess following the procedure. We report a technique to perform an artery reinforcement after PPH caused by pancreatitis. A PD according to Whipple's procedure with child's reconstruction was performed in a 68-year-old man. At postoperative day 12, the patient presented a sudden violent abdominal pain with arterial hypotension and tachycardia. Computed tomography (CT) with intravenous contrast injection was performed. Arterial and venous phases showed a contrast extravasation on the hepatic artery. Origin of PPH was found as an erosion of hepatic artery caused by pancreatic leak. A peritoneal patch was placed around hepatic artery to reinforce damaged arterial wall. The peritoneal patch was harvested from right hypochondrium with a thin preperitoneal fat layer. The patch was sutured around hepatic artery with musculoaponeurotic face placed on the arterial wall. A CT was performed and hepatic artery was permeable with normal caliber in the portion of peritoneal patch reinforcement. The technique described in the present case consists in reinforcing directly arterial wall after occurrence of PPH. The use of a peritoneal patch during pancreatic surgery has first been described to replace a portion of portal vein after venous resection with the peritoneal layer placed on the intraluminal side of the vein. The present case describes a salvage technique to reinforce damaged artery after PPH in context of pancreatic leak. This simple technique could be useful to avoid complex arterial reconstruction and recurrent bleeding in septic context.