Case Report
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World J Gastroenterol. Feb 14, 2012; 18(6): 583-586
Published online Feb 14, 2012. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v18.i6.583
Pulmonary embolism with acute pancreatitis: A case report and literature review
Qing Zhang, Qing-Xia Zhang, Xiao-Ping Tan, Wei-Zheng Wang, Chang-Hua He, Li Xu, Xiao-Xia Huang
Qing Zhang, Li Xu, Department of Internal medicine, Clinical Medical college of Yangtze University, Jingzhou 434000, Hubei Province, China
Qing Zhang, Xiao-Ping Tan, Wei-Zheng Wang, Chang-Hua He, Department of Gastroenterology, No.1 Hospital Affiliated to Yangtze University, Jingzhou 434000, Hubei Province, China
Qing-Xia Zhang, The second Hospital of Jingzhou, Jingzhou 434000, Hubei Province, China
Xiao-Xia Huang, Department of Respiratory, No.1 Hospital Affiliated to Yangtze University, Jingzhou 434000, Hubei Province, China
Author contributions: Zhang Q and Zhang QX contributed equally to this work; Tan XP, Wang WZ, He CH, Xu L and Huang XX provided medical care; Zhang Q and Zhang QX wrote the paper.
Correspondence to: Dr. Qing Zhang, Department of Internal medicine, Clinical Medical College of Yangtze University, Jingzhou 434000, Hubei Province, China. www95@126.com
Telephone: +86-716-8114055 Fax: +86-716-8114055
Received: July 15, 2011
Revised: September 12, 2011
Accepted: October 27, 2011
Published online: February 14, 2012
Abstract

Acute pancreatitis is an inflammatory disease characterized by local tissue injury which can trigger a systemic inflammatory response. So vascular complications of pancreatitis are a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Pulmonary embolism in acute pancreatitis has been reported to be very rare. We reported a case of pulmonary embolism with acute pancreatitis. A 38-year-old woman broke out upper abdomen pain without definite inducement. She had no nausea and vomiting, fever, dyspnea, cough and expectoration, chest pain. The patient had been diagnosed with acute pancreatitis in local hospital. The patient was treated with antibiotics and proton pump inhibitors, and the abdomen pain was alleviated slightly. But the patient came forth cough and expectoration with a little blood, progressive dyspnea. A computed tomographic scan of the abdomen revealed pancreatitis. Subsequent computer tomography angiography of chest revealed pulmonary embolism (both down pulmonary arteries, left pulmonary artery and branch of right pulmonary artery). Dyspnea of the patient got well with thrombolytic treatment and anticoagulation therapy. Pulmonary embolism is a rare but potentially lethal complication of pancreatitis. Familiarity with this complication will aid in its early diagnosis, therapy and prevent pulmonary embolism, a rare but catastrophic phenomenon.

Keywords: Pulmonary embolism; Pancreatitis