Ces radiol. 2025, 79(3):160-163 | DOI: 10.55095/CesRadiol2025/023
Emphysematous pancreatitis: not the bubbles you'd toast toCase report
- Radiologické oddělení, Vojenská nemocnice, Brno
Emphysematous pancreatitis: not the bubbles you'd toast to Emphysematous pancreatitis represents a rare and severe variant of acute necrotizing pancreatitis. This condition is characterized by the presence of gas bubbles within the pancreatic parenchyma and surrounding tissues, resulting from infection of necrotic tissue by gas-producing bacteria. Computed tomography is the gold standard for diagnosing acute pancreatitis, particularly when emphysematous pancreatitis is suspected. In cases of acute pancreatitis requiring intervention, minimally invasive approaches are currently preferred, as they are associated with a lower rate of complications and a reduced surgical burden. In this case report, I present the case of a 66-year-old patient who developed emphysematous pancreatitis and subsequently underwent exploratory laparotomy due to an inconclusive CT finding. The clinical course was complicated by rapid progression to multiorgan failure, which, despite full intensive care, ultimately led to the patient's death.
Keywords: emphysematous pancreatitis, acute necrotizing pancreatitis, exploratory laparotomy, minimally invasive techniques.
Accepted: August 31, 2025; Published: December 1, 2025 Show citation
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), which permits use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original publication is properly cited. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.