Case report

LaPlace's law revisited: Cecal perforation as an unusual presentation of pancreatic carcinoma

Kristine D Slam , Sarah Calkins and Frederick D Cason

Department of Surgery, University of Toledo, Health Sciences Campus, 3065 Arlington Avenue, Dowling Hall, Toledo, Ohio 43614 USA

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World Journal of Surgical Oncology 2007, 5:14doi:10.1186/1477-7819-5-14

Published:	2 February 2007

Abstract

Background

Pancreatic cancer is often locally and distally aggressive, but initial presentation as cecal perforation is uncommon.

Case presentation

We describe a patient presenting with pneumoperitoneum, found at initial exploration to have a cecal perforation believed to be secondary to a large cecal adenoma, after palpation of the remainder of the colon revealed hard stool but no distal obstruction. Postoperatively, however, the patient progressed to large bowel obstruction and upon reexploration, a mass could now be delineated, encompassing the splenic flexure, splenic hilum, and distal pancreas. Histological evaluation determined this was locally invasive pancreatic adenocarcinoma, and therefore the true etiology of the original cecal perforation.

Conclusion

Any perforation localized to the cecum must be highly suspicious for a distal obstruction, as dictated by the law of LaPlace.