Pancreatic Trauma

Abstract

Traumatic pancreatic injuries are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The review analyses recent studies on epidemiology, classification, diagnosis and treatment of patients with pancreatic injury. Pancreatic injury in abdominal trauma is observed from 3% to 12% of cases, the overall mortality ranges from 0% to 31% and is largely determined by damage to other organs. The most widely accepted grading system for defining categories of pancreatic injuries is Organ Injury Scaling developed by the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma. A high index of suspicion is necessary for early diagnosis, since in the first hours after the injury clinical manifestations and laboratory parameters are not specific, and changes in the CT picture do not correlate to the severity of the injury in 20-40% of cases. Contrast-enhanced CT is the first-line diagnostic tool in hemodynamically stable patients. MRI with MRCP and ERCP is used to evaluate the integrity of the pancreatic duct. Nonoperative management is recommended for hemodynamically stable grade I and grade II pancreatic injuries. Patients with pancreatic duct injury require predominantly surgical treatment. The preferred type of surgery for grade III and more severe injuries (distal resection, drainage of the damaged area combined with endoscopic drainage and stenting, or organ-preserving surgery in the form of pancreaticojejunostomy, pancreaticogastrostomy) remains controversial. In case of pancreatic injury proximal to the venous confluence, drainage of the damaged area is the only fairly safe option for the patient, indications for pancreaticoduodenal resection are limited to concomitant injury of the bile duct, duodenum with involvement of the major duodenal papilla, massive bleeding from crushed tissues of the pancreatic head. Larger prospective studies are warranted for better management of patients with pancreatic trauma.