Laparoscopy for traumatic pancreatitis. Case report

Abstract

Introduction: Traumatic pancreatitis (TP) comprises less than 10% of all abdominal traumas but can reach mortality and morbidity rates of up to 34% and 64%, respectively. The treatment of TP has a conservative approach, followed by minimally invasive procedures and surgery if the evolution is torpid. Case report: A 54-year-old male patient with blunt trauma in right hypochondrium due to a bovine kick developed moderate-severe TP and grade IV pancreatic injury (PI). He underwent laparoscopic surgery twice with adequate clinical evolution. He required antibiotic therapy for 19 days and hospitalization for 29 days, of which 9 were in the ICU. Conclusion: The diagnosis of TP is difficult to achieve due to the retroperitoneal location of the pancreas. The treatment of this condition is usually conservative, preferring clinical management with percutaneous or endoscopic drainage over surgical drainage due to its low morbidity and mortality. The recommended surgical approach to these patients is laparotomy; however, the laparoscopic approach is a therapeutic option to be considered for comprehensive management.