Background: Rupture of the hepatic artery caused by clostridial infection has not been reported before.
Methods: Case report and literature review.
Results: A 75 year-old man was admitted to the hospital for resection of a cystic tumor of the head of the pancreas. A pylorus-preserving radical pancreaticoduodenectomy was performed. On the fifth postoperative day, he developed fever (38.2°C), and computed tomography scanning revealed free air in the subhepatic area near the pancreaticojejunal anastomosis. On the ninth postoperative day, the patient died suddenly. Autopsy revealed a ruptured hepatic artery secondary to clostridial infection.
Conclusions: Close monitoring and early recourse to invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures may be advisable in the presence of suspect findings after pancreatic surgery to prevent this fatal complication.
