Surgical Laparotomy for Repeated Delayed Arterial Hemorrhage after Pancreaticoduodenectomy

Postpancreatectomy hemorrhage is one of the major life-threatening complications of pancreatic surgery. Radiological intervention is used as a first-line approach for the initial treatment of late arterial hemorrhage. However, rehemorrhage has a high risk for mortality, and it is undecided which urgent intervention provides optimal management for rehemorrhage. We experienced a successful surgical laparotomy for the repeated delayed arterial hemorrhage caused by a pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) for chronic pancreatitis. A 57-year-old man had undergone PD with pancreaticogastrostomy for tumor-forming pancreatitis with possible pancreatic cancer. A delayed massive hemorrhage from the drain developed 11 days after surgery. Although angiography was done, the bleeding site was not clearly detected. Therefore, urgent surgical laparotomy was performed. Arterial bleeding was detected from the stump of the gastroduodenal artery. Surgical ligation, using the suture technique, was performed for hemostasis, and a closed drain was placed in the area due to drainage of pancreatic juice and an abscess. However, rehemorrhage from the drain developed 7 days after the initial hemorrhage. Relaparotomy was performed immediately. The surgical ligation and compression hemostasis with absorbable hemostatic cotton was done. After relaparotomy for rehemorrhage, there was no hemorrhage or fatal hepatic failure. He left our hospital 64 days after initial surgery. Surgical laparotomy is one of the feasible procedures for hemostasis of a massive arterial hemorrhage. Proper blood vessel ligation is necessary for reliable hemostasis and proper drainage of pancreatic juice and abscesses to prevent hemorrhage.