Pancreatic Pseudocyst Causing Gastric Outlet Obstruction In A 35 Year Old Male

Pancreatic pseudocyst is an uncommon clinical entity in our environment and for it to cause gastric-outlet obstruction is even a rarer event in our practice. The overall incidence is unknown but the frequency may be more than is reported. It is commonly associated with alcohol related pancreatitis, trauma or cholelithiasis. The cyst is commonly found between the stomach and the transverse colon, or between the stomach and the liver in the lesser sac, but it has the potential of extending to any other site. The clinical features are non-specific. If as in this case, the presentation is epigastric pain, persistent vomiting, severe weight loss and epigastric mass, the diagnosis may not be suspected. Abdominal ultrasonography is a useful diagnostic tool with almost equal value to a computerized tomography (CT) scan. An upper gastrointestinal series with barium contrast medium is less sensitive and of secondary importance with evolution of Ct scan. Treatment includes both operative and non-operative measures. This paper stresses the usefulness of serial ultrasound scans in following up patient who had acute pancreatitis or blunt abdominal trauma. KEY WORDS: Pancreatic pseudocyst, acute pancreatitis, complication Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice Vol.6(1) 2003: 65-6