Arteriovenous malformation of the pancreas: a case report

Arteriovenous malformation (AVM) of the pancreas is uncommon in the gastrointestinal tract. We present a case of AVM of the pancreatic head in a 59-year-old male. He was admitted to a hospital with hematemesis and tarry stool and referred to our hospital in March 2014 on the diagnosis of pancreatic artery pseudoaneurysm. A computed tomography scan showed the presence of irregular dilated and/or stenotic vessels with meandering in the pancreatic head. Magnetic resonance imaging showed strong enhancement of the conglomeration in the pancreatic head. Selective angiography showed the proliferation of a vascular network in the pancreatic head and an early visualization of the portal vein at the arterial phase. The patient qualified for surgery with a preoperative diagnosis of AVM of the pancreatic head. We performed pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy. The histological results confirmed the presence of irregular dilated tortuous arteries and veins in the pancreatic head. Surgical treatment may represent definitive management of symptomatic AVM.