Gastroenterology

Answer 3 Hemosuccus pancreaticus. Hemosuccus pancreaticus refers to the communication of the pancreatic duct with peripancreatic vessels, resulting in bleeding from the major papilla or minor papilla. Hemosuccus pancreaticus can be seen in acute and chronic pancreatitis, often when pseudocysts communicating with the pancreatic duct erode into vascular structures. Gallstones alone do not cause hemobilia. Splenic vein thrombosis could cause gastric varices, which could bleed, but does not cause bleeding from the papilla. An infected pancreatic pseudocyst manifests as abdominal pain and fevers, not bleeding. A pancreatic cancer would be very unlikely to present as bleeding from the pancreatic duct. Click here to return to the questions

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