American Board of Pathology (ABPath) 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

Pancreatic pseudocysts primarily occur as a complication of acute and chronic pancreatitis. They form when pancreatic enzymes leak out of the pancreas and cause local inflammation, leading to the formation of a fluid-filled sac. These pseudocysts are not true cysts because they lack an epithelial lining; instead, they are surrounded by a fibrous capsule.

Acute pancreatitis can result from various factors, such as gallstones or excessive alcohol consumption, leading to an inflammatory response that may result in the development of pseudocysts. Similarly, in chronic pancreatitis, repeated inflammation and damage to the pancreas can result in pseudocyst formation due to ongoing injury to the pancreatic ductal system and surrounding tissues.

While diabetes mellitus can occur as a result of pancreatic damage, pancreatic cancer may present with cystic lesions, and cholecystitis is primarily associated with gallbladder inflammation, neither are as directly related to pseudocyst formation as pancreatitis is. Therefore, the association of pancreatic pseudocysts with acute and chronic pancreatitis is well-established and is the primary condition linked to their development.