• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.51-55
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• 2016

Isolated injury to the pancreas after abdominal trauma is uncommon, and a delay in diagnosis and treatment can increase the morbidity and mortality. Therapeutic decisions with respect to pancreatic trauma are usually made based on the site of injury and the status of the pancreatic ductal system. In this report, we describe the surgical management of pancreatic head transection as an isolated injury following blunt abdominal trauma. A 55-year-old man presented with epigastric pain that radiated to the back. Abdominal computed tomography revealed a hematoma in the pancreatic head and upstream dilatation of the main pancreatic duct. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography showed complete disruption of and contrast leakage from the main pancreatic duct in the pancreatic head region with a nonenhanced upstream duct. Emergency pancreaticoduodenectomy was successfully performed, and the patient was discharged on postoperative day 9 without any complications.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.261-266
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• 2012

Purpose: Traumatic pancreatic injury is not common in abdominal trauma injury. However, the morbidity and the mortality rates of patients with pancreatic injury, which are related with difficulties of initial assessment, establishment of diagnosis, and treatment are relatively high. The aim of this study is to review our institution's experience and suggest a diagnosis and therapeutic algorithm for use in cases involving traumatic pancreatic injury. Methods: Eighteen(18) patients with blunt pancreatic injury from January, 2004 to October 2012 were included in this study. We analyzed treatment and diagnosis method, other organ injury, treatment interval, hospital stay and complications retrospectively. Results: Nine patients were treated with conservative medication and another nine patients were treated surgically. Complications occurred in nine patients, and one patient died due to intraventricular hemorrhage and subdural hemorrhage with multiple organ failure. Delayed surgery was performed in three cases. The early and delayed surgery groups showed difference in hospital stay and intensive care unit stay. Delayed surgery was associated with a longer hospital stay (p=0.007) than immediate surgery. Conclusion: In blunt pancreatic trauma, proper early diagnosis and prompt treatment are recommended necessity. Based on this review of our experience, we also suggest the adoption of our institution's algorithm for cases involving traumatic pancreatic injury.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.310-314
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• 2023

Pancreatic trauma from a blunt injury is fairly uncommon in the pediatric population. Furthermore, such trauma with associated disruption of the pancreatic duct (PD) is even less prevalent and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Pancreatic injuries in the pediatric population are often missed and hence require a thorough workup in children presenting with any form of abdominal injury. This case report describes a young boy who presented with abdominal pain and did not initially inform medical staff about any injury. For this reason, his initial provisional diagnosis was appendicitis, but he was later found to have transection of the pancreas with injury to the PD on imaging. The management of such injuries in pediatric patients often poses a challenge due to a lack of pediatric physicians trained to perform interventions such as endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. Furthermore, such interventions carry a higher risk when performed on children due to the smaller size of their pancreatic ducts. As a result, our patient had to be transferred to an adult center to undergo this procedure. Thus, maintaining a high degree of suspicion, along with a detailed history and examination, is crucial for the early diagnosis and management of pancreatic injuries.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.207-213
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• 2013

Purpose: Traumatic pancreas injuries are rare conditions that result in high morbidity and mortality. Thus, early diagnosis and intervention are very important to manage pancreatic injuries. The purpose of this study is to review the management and outcomes of the pancreatic injuries in the Korean population. Methods: Original articles published from January 2001 to December 2012 and addressing the Korean population were selected by using indices such as 'pancreas injury', 'traumatic pancreas injury', and 'pancreatic trauma' to search KoreaMed and PubMed. Nine reports were selected to review the management options for surgery or endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography. We assessed the injury mechanisms, injury severities, associated injuries, types of operation, and outcomes. Results: Two hundred fifty of the 332 patients included in the 9 selected reports were men, and the mean age of all patients was 36.4 years. The main injury mechanism was traffic accidents(65.6%). Most patients had grade II or III injuries(68.9%). The most common extra-pancreatic injury site was the liver, followed by the chest and spleen. Operative management, including distal pancreatectomies(129), drainage procedures(64), pancreaticoduodenectomies(23), and others(60), was used for 276 patients. The reported mortality rate was 10.2%, and the morbidity rate ranged from 38% to 76.9%. The average length of hospital stay was 39.5 days. Risk factors for mortality were amount of transfusion, injury severity, base deficit, age, and presence of shock. Conclusion: In this study, we found neither significant data nor a consensus. If national guidelines are to be developed and established, a national data bank or registry, and nationwide data collection are required.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.242-248
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• 2023

Purpose: Blunt pancreatic trauma in pediatric patients is relatively rare, yet it is associated with high risks of morbidity and mortality This study aimed to review pediatric patients with blunt pancreatic trauma treated at a single center and provide treatment guidelines. Methods: This study included patients under the age of 18 years who visited our center's pediatric emergency department and were diagnosed with pancreatic injury due to abdominal trauma via radiological examination between January 2007 and December 2022. Patients' medical records were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed. Results: Among 107 patients with abdominal trauma, 14 had pancreatic injury, with a median age of 8.2 years (interquartile range, 3.1-12.3 years). Eight patients were male and six were female. The most common mechanism of injury was falls from a height and bicycle handlebars (four cases each). Six patients had associated injuries. Two patients had American Association for the Surgery of Trauma grade I or II, eight had grade III, and four had grade IV or V injuries. Eight patients underwent surgical resection, and four were discharged with only an intervention for duct injuries. Conclusions: Patients with blunt pancreatic trauma at our center have been successfully treated with surgical modalities, and more recently through nonsurgical approaches involving active endoscopic and radiologic interventions.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2011

Purpose: Even though traumatic pancreatic injuries occur in only 0.2% to 4% of all abdominal injuries, the morbidity and the mortality rates associated with pancreatic injuries remain high. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes of traumatic pancreatic injuries and to identify predictors of mortality and morbidity. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 26 consecutive patients with a pancreatic injury who underwent a laparotomy from January 2000 to December 2010. The data collected included demographic data, the mechanism of injury, the initial vital signs, the grade of pancreatic injury, the injury severity score (ISS), the revised trauma score (RTS), the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), the number of abbreviated injury scales (AIS), the number of associated injuries, the initial laboratory findings, the amount of blood transfusion, the type of operation, the mortality, the morbidity, and others. Results: The overall mortality rate in our series was 23.0%, and the morbidity rate was 76.9%. Twenty patients (76.9%) had associated injuries to either intra-abdominal organs or extra-abdominal organs. Two patients (7.7%) underwent external drainage, and 18 patients (69.3%) underwent a distal pancreatectomy. Pancreaticoduodenectomies were performed in 6 patients (23.0%). Three patients underwent a re-laparotomy due to anastomosis leakage or postoperative bleeding, and all patients died. The univariate analysis revealed 11 factors (amount of transfusion, AAST grade, re-laparotomy, associated duodenal injury, base excess, APACHE 11 score, type of operation, operation time, RTS, associated colon injury, GCS) to be significantly associated with mortality (p<0.05). Conclusion: Whenever a surgeon manages a patient with traumatic pancreatic injury, the surgeon needs to consider the predictive risk factors. And, if possible, the patient should undergo a proper and meticulous, less invasive surgical procedure.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.136-142
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• 2011

Purpose: Blunt pancreatic injury has a high mortality rate, especially if adequate management is delayed. Although many guidelines exist for diagnosis and treatment, there is no consensus to date. Therefore, we analyzed the role of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool for the treatment of traumatic pancreatic injury. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the electronic medical records (EMR) database at Asan Medical Center (Seoul, South Korea) to identify all patients diagnosed with trauma to the pancreas between June 2003 and December 2010. Clinical and operative findings, CT (computed tomography) images, and ERCP findings were assessed. Results: A total of 40 patients were evaluated in this study. Of these, 14 patients underwent diagnostic ERCP, and 26 did not. Of the 14 patients who underwent diagnostic ERCP, 5 were found to have normal pancreatic ducts, thereby preventing a needless laparotomy in these patients. Of the patients diagnosed with ductal injury, four were treated with endoscopic intervention, and four underwent an exploratory laparotomy. The remaining patient was treated with radiologic intervention (percutaneous drainage) to manage pancreatic pseudocyst formation. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that ERCP is a beneficial diagnostic and therapeutic modality for the treatment of traumatic pancreatic injury.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.177-182
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• 2021

Purpose: Traumatic pancreatic injuries are rare, but their diagnosis and management are challenging. The aim of this study was to evaluate and report our experiences with the management of pancreatic injuries. Methods: We identified all adult patients (age >15) with pancreatic injuries from our trauma registry over a 7-year period. Data related to patients' demographics, diagnoses, operative information, complications, and hospital course were abstracted from the registry and medical records. Results: A total of 45 patients were evaluated. Most patients had blunt trauma (89%) and 21 patients (47%) had pancreatic injuries of grade 3 or higher. Twenty-eight patients (62%) underwent laparotomy and 17 (38%) received nonoperative management (NOM). The overall in-hospital mortality rate was 24% (n=11), and only one patient died after NOM (due to a severe traumatic brain injury). Twenty-two patients (79%) underwent emergency laparotomy and six (21%) underwent delayed laparotomy. A drainage procedure was performed in 12 patients (43%), and pancreatectomy was performed in 16 patients (57%) (distal pancreatectomy [DP], n=8; DP with spleen preservation, n=5; pancreaticoduodenectomy, n=2; total pancreatectomy, n=1). Fourteen (31%) pancreas-specific complications occurred, and all complications were successfully managed without surgery. Solid organ injuries (n=14) were the most common type of associated abdominal injury (Abbreviated Injury Scale ≥3). Conclusions: For traumatic pancreatic injuries, an appropriate treatment method should be considered after evaluation of the accompanying injury and the patient's hemodynamic status. NOM can be performed without mortality in appropriately selected cases.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.18-21
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• 2013

Pancreatic injury following blunt abdominal trauma is rare, but it has high morbidity and mortality. Various treatments have been attempted, but none has yet been clearly established. The pancreatic neck transection is usually managed by using a distal pancreatectomy with or without a splenectomy. However, pancreatic insufficiency and the risk of post-splenectomy infection remain significant problems. To avoid these problems in patients with a pancreatic neck transection, one may use a pancreaticoenteric anastomosis as a treatment option, but a pancreatic fistula from the pancreaticoenteric anastomosis remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Recently, several reports proposed the binding pancreaticogastrostomy to minimize the possibility of a postoperative pancreatic fistula developing after pancreatic surgery. Thus, we report a case of a traumatic pancreatic neck transection successfully treated with a binding pancreaticogastrostomy.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.261-264
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• 2023

Pancreatic trauma occurs in 0.2% of patients with blunt trauma and 5% of severe abdominal injuries, which are associated with high mortality rates (up to 60%). Traumatic pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) has significant morbidity and appreciable mortality owing to complicating factors, associated injuries, and shock. The initial reconstruction in patients with severe pancreatic injuries aggravates their status by causing hypothermia, coagulopathy, and acidosis, which increase the risk for early mortality. A staging operation in which PD follows damage control surgery is a good option for hemodynamically unstable patients. We report the case of a patient who was treated by staging PD for an injured pancreatic head.