Acute pancreatitis in children.

Abstract

Acute pancreatitis is known to occur most frequently in obese middle-aged men who have overindulged in food or alcoholic beverages. The onset is usually abrupt, with severe abdominal pain in the left epigastric region, nausea, and vomiting. The physical findings are often those of shock and signs of peritonitis. The serum amylase and urinary diastase values are elevated. When operation is performed, blood-stained also called beef broth fluid, is found in moderate amounts. Fat necroses are present in the omentum, appendices epiploicae, or other adiposal tissues within the peritoneal cavity. The pancreas is usually enlarged and edematous; microscopically, more or less extensive areas of necrosis or hemorrhages are found to have replaced the normal pancreatic parenchyma. In the pediatric age group this disease appears to be extremely rare. Blumenstock and co-workers1reported 4 cases and collected 36 cases from the literature. The observation of acute pancreatitis in a