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Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura as a cause of pancreatitis

Report of a case and review of the literature

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Summary

in the literature the association of pancreatitis to vascular factors in man and in experimental animals is clear, be it of the embolic, thrombotic, or primary vascular etiology. The mechanism by which vascular ischemia causes release of pancreatic enzymes to produce pancreatitis is less well understood. The relation of pancreatitis to the vascular lesion of TTP in this case has been demonstrated both biochemically and pathologically. By a review of case histories we have attempted to demonstrate that pancreatitis is a more frequent component of this disease syndrome than previously suspected. As in this case, pancreatitis may often be the presenting manifestation, possibly representing a significant proportion of the 10 to 20% of patients with TTP who present with symptoms of abdominal pain. This case study adds one more disease to a growing list of vascular etiologies in pancreatitis.

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  1. 2961 Summit Street, 94609, Oakland, CA

    Harvey Olsen MD

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  1. Harvey Olsen MD
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Olsen, H. Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura as a cause of pancreatitis. Digest Dis Sci 18, 238–246 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01071978

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