A rare case of gastroduodenal artery aneurysm in a highly active antiretroviral therapy induced acute pancreatitis case presenting with lump in abdomen

Abstract

Gastroduodenal artery (GDA) aneurysm is a rare but potentially fatal vascular disease, with chronic pancreatitis being reported as the commonest etiological factor. Rupture, which is not uncommon, carries a high risk of mortality. The typical patient with palpable epigastric mass, upper gastrointestinal bleeding and pain, may not present in the emergency and the lesion is often picked up incidentally on abdominal ultrasound or a computed tomography. We describe a critical case presenting with lump in abdomen which was found out to be gastroduodenal artery aneurysm on scanning, developing in a patient with recurrent highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) induced pancreatitis managed with transfemoral catheter embolization. The patient in question succumbed due to post procedure hepatic failure. The management of aneurysms since historic times have been challenging, the open procedures are being gradually replaced by endovascular techniques, which are yielding better results.