Pancreas lipiodol embolism induced acute necrotizing pancreatitis following transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma

Rationale: Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) is recognized as one of the most commonly used modalities for non-surgical treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Ectopic lipiodol embolism is an extremely rare complication of TACE. Patient concerns: A 61-year-old man who had a 10-year history of cirrhosis caused by hepatitis B infection was diagnosed with ascites and HCC. Subsequently, the patient underwent TACE. However, he experienced persistent left upper abdominal pain, poor appetite, nausea, moderate fever and accompanied by elevation of serum and urine amylase on the 2nd and 3nd day after treatment. Diagnoses: The patient was diagnosed as having acute hemorrhagic necrotizing pancreatitis based on biochemical and inflammatory markers and CT findings. We deduced that the acute necrotizing pancreatitis was caused by a small branch of the left hepatic artery feeding the pancreas tail and embolizing the drug and lipiodol shunting to the tail of the pancreas. Interventions: The patient was treated for 5 days according to the comprehensive treatment of acute necrotizing pancreatitis, by the inhibition of the secretion of pancreatic juice, relieving pain, and total parenteral nutrition and forbidding diet. The symptoms of the patient were observed to improve, and SAMS and urinary amylase (UAMS) level decreased to 143 IU/L and 254 IU/L, respectively and oral diet was permitted. Outcome: After a period of 2 weeks, the contrast abdominal CT showed slightly decreased fluid collection of the peri-pancreatic space. Moreover, it also showed flocculous and linear high-density shadow in the pancreatic tail, suggesting lipiodol deposition in the pancreatic tail. Subsequently, the symptoms were observed to abate, and the patient left the hospital. On the 21st day after TACE, the patient had a follow up in our outpatient department; the biochemical characteristics and inflammatory markers were observed to be normal Conclusion: AP is still a rare complication after TACE. Etiology is still attributed to the occurrence of shunting and embolization drug reflux. Strategies strengthening the catheter tip that is placed as close to the distal branches of the hepatic artery for the possible careful injection of embolic materials is still the key to avoid post-TACE AP.