Acute pancreatitis in children

J Pediatr Surg. 1985 Feb;20(1):58-60. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3468(85)80393-6.

Abstract

Twenty-nine children with acute pancreatitis were managed during the period 1971 to 1983. Aetiology included trauma (5), mumps (5), drug therapy (4), biliary disease (1), and cystic fibrosis (1); 13 cases were classified as idiopathic. Diagnosis could be difficult, and unnecessary laparotomies were performed in 7 instances for suspected appendicitis. One patient, however, had a well-justified laparotomy revealing coexisting severe appendicitis and pancreatitis. Morbidity included relapses (7), pseudocysts (3), obstructive duodenal hematoma (1), and miscellaneous problems (4). Improvements in management included endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography (ERCP) to exclude anatomical anomalies in relapsing cases, ultrasonography for the diagnosis of pseudocysts and for follow-up measurements in two such cases successfully managed conservatively, and increasing use of total parenteral nutrition in cases with protracted disease or serious complications.

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Adolescent
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Pancreatitis / complications
  • Pancreatitis / diagnosis*
  • Pancreatitis / etiology
  • Ultrasonography