Interesting series of extra abdominal complications in two patients with chronic pancreatitis secondary to chronic alcoholism and pancreatic divisum

• Published in: Gastroenterology insights Vol. 8; no. 1
• Main Authors: Choksi, Dhaval, Pandey, Vikas, Poddar, Prateik, Chaubal, Alisha, Ingle, Meghraj, Sawant, Prabha
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 22.11.2017
• Subjects: chronic pancreatitis, pancreas, pancreatic divisum, pancreaticopleural fistula, pleural effusion
• ISSN: 2036-7414; 2036-7422
• DOI: 10.4081/gi.2017.6974

Pancreaticopleural fistula is an extremely rare complication of chronic pancreatitis. Interestingly it may present without any symptoms of pancreatitis per se. The diagnosis requires a high index of suspicion due to the predominant thoracic symptoms. Cases with massive, rapidly refilling, refractory pleural effusion in the setting of pancreatitis (symptomatic or asymptomatic) should be suspected of having a pancreaticopleural fistula. We report two cases of pancreaticopleural fistula. One of the patient also had pancreatic divisum and to the best of our knowledge this is the first case report of pancreatic divisum with pancreaticopleural fistula in the literature.