Two Cases of Pancreatic Pseudocyst Involving the Spleen

Ryohei Ishibe, Koki Tanaka, Kazuhiko Yamada, Naoki Ishizaki, Akihiro Nishimura, Meguru Yoshimine, Akira Taira, Jun Matsumoto*

The Second Department of Surgery and The Second Department of Medicine*, Kagoshima University Faculty of Medicine

Two cases of pancreatic pseudocyst found in the splenic parenchyma are reported. Both patients had alcoholic pancreatitis. Both cysts supposedly extended from the pancreas towards the spleen with communications. The contents of the cysts showed high amylase concentration. The condition in which a pancreatic pseudocyst extends into the spleen is rare. To our knowledge,27 cases have been reported in the Japanese literature. Males were predominant and almost all patients were habitual alcohol drinkers. Only three cases including one in this report were diagnosed preoperatively by percutaneous puncture which disclosed a high amylase level. Accurate preoperative diagnosis is useful for prevention of fatal complications. Removal of the entire pseudocyst according to its pathogenesis is important.

Key words
pancreatic pseudocyst involving the spleen, alcoholic pancreatitis, splenectomy and distal pancreatectomy

Reprint requests
Ryohei Ishibe The Second Department of Surgery, Kagoshima University Faculty of Medicine
8-35-1 Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima, 890 JAPAN

Accepted
May 13, 1992

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