Acute pancreatitis complicated by infected pseudocyst in a child with pancreas divisum

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Acute pancreatitis occurs less frequently in children than in adults, although it seems to be more common than has been considered in the past. There are several causes of pancreatitis in childhood: trauma, infections or structural gland anomalies as pancreas divisum.

CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of non-traumatic severe acute pancreatitis in a 8-year-old girl with pancreas divisum, complicated by a rapid formation of a large infected pseudocyst which required a surgical internal drainage by a Roux-en-Y cystojejunostomy.

DISCUSSION: Pancreas divisum is the most common congenital anomaly of the pancreas with an incidence of 3-10% of population, and its role in causing acute or recurrent pancreatitis is still controversial. There are only sporadic observations of acute pancreatitis complicated by pseudocyst in children with pancreatic anomalies and its treatment is not standardized. Three different approaches have been described to treat a pancreatic pseudocyst: percutaneous, endoscopic or surgical drainage. We decided to perform a pseudocyst-jejunostomy because of the disease severity.

CONLUSION: Even in the non-invasive era, the surgical approach to treat a large complicated pseudoysts in children still represents a safe and feasible approach in emergencies as acute abdomen, bleeding or sepsis. Complications of percutaneous and endoscopic drainages are avoided and long term results are excellent.