A Dieulafoy Lesion as the Cause of Massive Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding After a Distal Pancreatectomy and Splenectomy: Case Report and Literature Review

A Dieulafoy lesion is a rare, but potentially fatal, cause of upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. The literature relating to Dieulafoy lesions as a cause of GI bleeding in postoperative patients is sparse. We present the case of a 69-year-old man who developed massive hematemesis in the early postoperative period after an elective distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy, necessitating readmission to the hospital. Ultimately, the diagnosis was a Dieulafoy lesion, which was successfully treated with local injection of epinephrine, bipolar cautery, and application of hemoclips. In addition to the case report, we herein review the literature on gastric Dieulafoy lesions and highlight the importance of swift diagnosis of upper GI bleeding after pancreatic surgery.