Hemorrhage in the Wirsung's duct caused by aneurysm of the splenic artery in chronic pancreatitis.

Two cases of haemorrhage from rupture of a splenic artery aneurysm into the pancreatic duct are reported. Both patients suffered from chronic pancreatitis; when haemorrhage appeared both patients experienced abdominal pain. In one patient the melaena was repetitive, in the other one--with a single episode of melaena - the endoscopy showed fresh blood near the papilla. In both patients ultrasonography and computerized tomography (CT) revealed a cystic mass in the pancreatic tail; CT scan also showed a clear contrast enhancement of these lesions after iodinated medium intravenous bolus. Coeliac arteriography confirmed the presence of two large saccular aneurysmal dilatation of the splenic artery. Both patients underwent a laparotomy: distal pancreatectomy with aneurysm resection and splenectomy were successfully performed.