Acute pancreatitis as a complication of percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy.

Abstract

Percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy can be an effective procedure performed with low morbidity. We have observed clinically significant pancreatitis after successful clot extraction by percutaneous thrombectomy. Pancreatitis developed postoperatively in four patients who underwent thrombectomy at our hospital. Each patient experienced abdominal symptoms with serologic and radiographic evidence of pancreatitis <or=24 hours after thrombectomy. The presence of renal failure and extensive clot degradation seemed to be related. Two of the patients underwent surgery that potentially could have been avoided had the etiology of pancreatitis been known preoperatively.