Suspected Groove Pancreatitis Complicated by Anastomotic Stricture and Recurrent Intrahepatic Lithiasis: A Case Report.
4 affiliations
- 1Gastroenterology, Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, BRA.
- 2Internal Medicine, Universidade Católica de Pernambuco, Recife, BRA.
- 3Gastroenterology, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, BRA.
- 4Gastroenterology, Irmandade da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo, São Paulo, BRA.
Abstract
Groove pancreatitis is a rare form of chronic pancreatitis involving the pancreatoduodenal groove and may mimic pancreatic or periampullary malignancy, creating substantial diagnostic uncertainty. We report a 67-year-old man with a history of alcohol use, a 10-pack-year smoking history, chronic pancreatitis, and suspected groove pancreatitis who underwent biliodigestive diversion, cholecystectomy, and pancreatic biopsy in 2017; malignancy was ultimately excluded. Several years later, he developed recurrent cholangitis associated with a biliary-enteric anastomotic stricture and progressive intrahepatic lithiasis. Imaging demonstrated persistent left intrahepatic ductal dilatation and anastomotic narrowing. Management consisted of percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage, repeated drain exchanges, and serial cholangioplasties, with partial reduction of stone burden despite persistent stricture. This case illustrates the challenges of long-term management of late biliary complications after pancreatobiliary surgery and the potential role of serial minimally invasive interventions in maintaining biliary drainage and deferring surgical reintervention.
Related
- Endoscopic management of pancreatic duct stones and stricture in chronic pancreatitis using a fully covered self-expandable metal stent.
- Proximal Tracheal Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma Complicated by Early Anastomotic Stenosis—A Case Report
- Intrahepatic and Intrasplenic Pancreatic Pseudocysts Following Acute Pancreatitis: A Case Report
- Case Report: Severe persistent transaminitis during pregnancy: a complex differential diagnosis involving suspected toxoplasmosis, possible drug-induced liver injury, and intrahepatic cholestasis
- Parenteral Nutrition as a Strategic Therapeutic Option for Onco-Geriatric Rehabilitation After Total Gastrectomy and Anastomotic Stenosis Complicated by an Aorto-Esophageal Fistula: A Case Report.
BibTeX
@article{rabello2026suspected,
title = {{Suspected Groove Pancreatitis Complicated by Anastomotic Stricture and Recurrent Intrahepatic Lithiasis: A Case Report.}},
author = {Maria Isabel de Sampaio Rabello and Natália Borges and Maria Paula Ribeiro Dantas Bezerra and Julia Angelim de Freitas Cardoso and Lawani Rigopoulos},
journal = {Cureus},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.7759/cureus.116777},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42921542},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Suspected Groove Pancreatitis Complicated by Anastomotic Stricture and Recurrent Intrahepatic Lithiasis: A Case Report.
AU - Maria Isabel de Sampaio Rabello
AU - Natália Borges
AU - Maria Paula Ribeiro Dantas Bezerra
AU - Julia Angelim de Freitas Cardoso
AU - Lawani Rigopoulos
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/23
JO - Cureus
DO - 10.7759/cureus.116777
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42921542
AB - Groove pancreatitis is a rare form of chronic pancreatitis involving the pancreatoduodenal groove and may mimic pancreatic or periampullary malignancy, creating substantial diagnostic uncertainty. We report a 67-year-old man with a history of alcohol use, a 10-pack-year smoking history, chronic pancreatitis, and suspected groove pancreatitis who underwent biliodigestive diversion, cholecystectomy, and pancreatic biopsy in 2017; malignancy was ultimately excluded. Several years later, he developed recurrent cholangitis associated with a biliary-enteric anastomotic stricture and progressive intrahepatic lithiasis. Imaging demonstrated persistent left intrahepatic ductal dilatation and anastomotic narrowing. Management consisted of percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage, repeated drain exchanges, and serial cholangioplasties, with partial reduction of stone burden despite persistent stricture. This case illustrates the challenges of long-term management of late biliary complications after pancreatobiliary surgery and the potential role of serial minimally invasive interventions in maintaining biliary drainage and deferring surgical reintervention.
SN - 2168-8184
ER -