PANCREATITIS IN CHILDHOOD: EXPERIENCE WITH 15 CASES

Intraabdominal infections in infants and children: descriptions and definitions

OBJECTIVE

To define intraabdominal infections in infants and children.

DESIGN

Summary of the literature with review and consensus by experts in the field.

RESULTS

Intraabdominal infections are common in infants and children and comprise a broad range of disorders of greatly variable severity. In addition to microbiologically mediated processes, other inflammatory disorders frequently present similar clinical syndromes. More aggressive and effective therapy for prematurity, chronic diseases of childhood, malignancies, immunodeficiencies, and organ failure, including transplantation, is likely to increase the frequency with which some of these infections are encountered. Only a limited number of processes have been clearly defined in the pediatric literature.

CONCLUSIONS

Criteria defining intraabdominal infection are proposed based on reports in the pediatric literature and expert opinion. Additional study of individual disorders, diagnostic criteria, and approach to management is warranted.

Pancreatic ascites in an infant: lack of symptoms and normal amylase

A 4-month-old boy presented with 9 days of abdominal distension. The abdomen was tense, distended, and nontender, with a fluid wave. Hypoalbuminemia, hyponatremia, high lipase, normal amylase, high ascitic fluid: lipase, amylase, and serum-ascites albumin gradient < 1.1 were present. Abdominal CT showed large ascites, edema, and pancreatic cyst. No improvement was noted with bowel rest, TPN, albumin, furosemide, octreotide, and paracentesis. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography showed disrupted pancreatic duct and a cyst. Pancreatic duct stenting was complicated by early outward migration of the stent and was thus ineffective. An exploratory laporatomy revealed a cyst. Cystogastrostomy resolved the pancreatitis and ascites. The patient was discharged off TPN and tolerating enteral nutrition. Pancreatic ascites is rare, producing few or no symptoms in infants. In conclusion, our patient may have had viral pancreatitis, complicated by a disrupted duct and/or ruptured pseudocyst with ascites formation. Medical management was ineffective. Surgery appears to have been curative.

Acute pancreatitis in childhood: analysis of literature data

GOALS

To review the published experience with acute pancreatitis in childhood.

STUDY

Computerized search of the English medical literature since 1965 using MEDLINE.

RESULTS

Details of 589 patients were reviewed. Mean age was 9.2 +/- 2.4 years (range: 1 week to 21 years). Male to female ratio was 1.2. Etiologies included (n = 589): idiopathic (23%), trauma (22%), structural anomalies (15%), multisystem disease (14%), drugs and toxins (12%), viral infections (10%), hereditary (2%) and metabolic disorders (2%). Diagnosis was based most often on abnormal abdominal ultrasonography (81%) and on elevated serum amylase levels (63%). Radiograph findings were helpful in 34%. In 16% of the patients the diagnosis was based only on laparotomy. Mean hospital stay was 13.2 +/- 2.4 days and TPN was required in 28% of the patients. In 24% of the subjects a surgical intervention was indicated. Recurrence was reported in 9%, most of them with idiopathic and structural etiologies. Fatal outcome was described in 9.7% of the patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Acute pancreatitis of childhood, although considered sometimes as a minor disorder, carries significant morbidity and mortality. Therefore, pediatricians should be more aware of this illness.

Acute pancreatitis in children. An Italian multicentre study

AIM

To evaluate the clinical, morphological and aetiological aspects of acute pancreatitis in children in Italy.

PATIENTS

The hospital records of 50 consecutive patients with acute pancreatitis observed in 5 Italian Pediatric Departments were reviewed.

RESULTS

A total of 25 males and 25 females (median age 10.5 years, range 2-17) were studied. Of these patients, 48 (96%) had abdominal pain. The pancreatitis was associated with biliary disease in 10 patients (20%); it was due to viral infection in 6 patients (12%), pancreatic duct abnormalities in 4 (8%, familial chronic pancreatitis in 3 (6%), trauma in 5 (10%) and other causes in 5 (10%); the pancreatitis was of unknown origin in 17 patients (34%). Previous attacks of the disease had occurred in 14 patients. A diagnosis of mild pancreatitis was made in 41 patients (82%) and of severe disease in 9 (18%). One patient with severe pancreatitis died from multiorgan failure. Patients with severe pancreatitis had significantly higher serum concentrations of C-reactive protein than patients with mild pancreatitis. Hospital stay was similar for patients with the mild form and those with the severe form of the disease.

CONCLUSIONS

In Italian children, acute pancreatitis is of unknown origin in about one-third of the children and is recurrent in 28% of the cases. The disease is severe in 18% of the cases.

Antenatal detection of a pancreatic foregut duplication cyst

Congenital pancreatic cyst is a rare cause of a cystic abdominal mass in the neonate. The authors report a case of antenatal detection of a foregut duplication cyst arising entirely from the pancreas.

Recurrent Acute Pancreatitis Caused by a Gastric Duplication Communicating with an Aberrant Pancreas

A 24-year-old female patient who had suffered from recurrent bouts of acute pancreatitis for over 3 years was found on endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography to have an aberrant pancreatic duct that terminated in a cyst. An aberrant lobe of pancreas had been discovered at exploratory laparotomy 3 years previously and was left untreated. Excision of the aberrant lobe of pancreas and accompanying gastric duplication cyst was curative. This case illustrates the importance of obtaining endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in all young individuals with recurrent pancreatitis to detect this rare, but curable, cause of pancreatitis.

Pancreatitis caused by a gastric duplication communicating with an aberrant pancreatic lobe

Developmental anomalies of the pancreas and its ductal drainage system are an important cause of pancreatitis. Patients with such anomalies require appropriate surgical intervention. This report concerns an uncommon foregut anomaly that causes pancreatitis. A 9-year-old girl had recurrent pancreatitis secondary to a gastric duplication communicating with an aberrant pancreatic lobe. Appreciation of the relevant anatomy led to successful surgical management of the pancreatitis.

The role of ERCP in the diagnosis and treatment of idiopathic recurrent pancreatitis in children and adolescents

ERCP was performed in 51 patients, aged 1 to 18 years, as part of diagnostic evaluation for recurrent pancreatitis without obvious cause or as therapeutic intervention. ERCP was successful in 50 patients (98%). Thirty-four patients (68%) had anatomic findings indicating a possible cause of recurrent pancreatitis. Three patients (6%) had findings suggestive of sphincter of Oddi dysfunction. Eighteen of the 37 patients (49%) with ductal abnormalities underwent endoscopic therapy, with a favorable outcome in 15 (83%). Eleven patients were treated surgically, and 8 of these patients (73%) improved symptomatically. Eight patients received no treatment, and 6 of them (67%) had recurrent bouts of clinical pancreatitis. One mild case of pancreatitis (1.9%) occurred after ERCP, and 3 mild cases followed endoscopic therapy. In conclusion, ERCP is a relatively safe technique that produces opacification of the desired ductal system with a high degree of accuracy and provides useful information in the evaluation of children with idiopathic recurrent pancreatitis. These data suggest that endoscopic pancreatic therapy may result in symptomatic improvement, eliminating the need for surgery in selected children. Furthermore, the study demonstrates that manipulation of the pancreatic duct is comparatively safe and less hazardous than formerly believed.

Long-term follow-up of young patients with chronic hereditary or idiopathic pancreatitis

We conducted a retrospective study of patients younger than 20 years of age who had a diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis and underwent assessment at the Mayo Clinic between 1960 and 1990. Those with a known etiologic factor for the pancreatitis (such as a virus, trauma, alcohol, or hyperlipidemia) were excluded from the study. We compared the clinical course of the 42 patients who had hereditary pancreatitis (HP)--defined as at least two family members affected by the condition--with that of the 28 patients who had idiopathic pancreatitis (IP). The mean age at initial assessment was 7 years for those with HP and 12 years for those with IP. All patients in both groups had abdominal pain. Vomiting was more frequent in patients with HP than in those with IP; otherwise the initial symptoms were similar in both groups. Patients with HP, however, had more complications, including pseudocysts (seven patients), steatorrhea (four), ascites (three), portal hypertension (two), and diabetes (one), than did patients with IP (one each had diabetes, steatorrhea, and a pseudocyst). Complications or pain necessitated surgical intervention in 23 of 42 patients with HP versus 4 of 28 patients with IP. Overall in comparison with IP, HP seems to be a more severe variant of chronic pancreatitis, inasmuch as it is associated with more frequent complications and need for surgical intervention.

Surgical therapy and long-term follow-up of childhood hereditary pancreatitis

Treatment and a 15-year follow-up survey of 42 patients with hereditary pancreatitis (HP) were compared with 28 patients with idiopathic recurrent pancreatitis (RP) of childhood. There was no difference between the two groups except for pancreatic ductal dilatation and stones in patients with HP. Longitudinal pancreaticojejunostomy (20) or resection and drainage procedures (7) were more commonly required in patients with HP than RP (55% v 14%). There was no surgical mortality. Postoperatively, immediate and complete relief of symptoms was obtained in 43% of patients with HP and 25% of patients with RP. In the remainder, recurrent attacks of pancreatitis abated over 2 years such that 81% of the surgical patients were in good or excellent health. Occasional symptoms persisted in 52% of HP patients and 25% of RP patients. Of the 20 patients with HP or RP undergoing longitudinal pancreaticojejunostomy extending from the head to the tail, 75% were symptom-free on follow-up. However, 3 of 6 patients with poor results had also undergone this procedure. At long-term follow-up of patients who did not undergo operation, 75% of HP patients and 90% of RP patients reported excellent or good health despite the persistent symptoms in 68% and 42%, respectively. Surgery for childhood HP is dependent on the complications present. Longitudinal pancreaticojejunostomy is beneficial for ductal dilatation and associated pseudocysts or pancreatic ascites. The performance of this procedure in the absence of consistent pancreatic duct dilatation will give poor results. Patients without ductal dilatation and the majority of patients with RP may eventually lead near normal lives without resorting to surgery.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The common bilio-pancreatic channel syndrome in childhood

An abnormally long common bilio-pancreatic channel has been found in association with choledochal cysts and biliary strictures in childhood. It may also present with recurrent abdominal pain, vomiting, hyperamylasaemia and jaundice. This has been termed the common channel syndrome (CCS). Two cases with the CCS presenting early in childhood are reported together with a review of the literature. Open sphincteroplasty was performed in both cases with a satisfactory outcome.

Chronic pancreatitis in a child with glycogen storage disease type 1

A case of chronic pancreatitis in an 8-year-old boy with glycogen storage disease type 1a (GSD 1a) is presented. This patient had a history of hyperlipidaemia unresponsive to dietary therapy, e.g., a carbohydrate-rich diet, uncooked cornstarch, and nocturnal intragastric tube feedings. He had recently suffered bouts of abdominal pain and diarrhoea. Serum amylase and trypsin were elevated, abdominal CT revealed the presence of a pseudocyst of the pancreas. The presence of chronic pancreatitis was confirmed by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and an infected pseudocyst was removed at laparotomy.

Pancreatic ascites presenting in infancy, with review of the literature

We report a 4-month-old boy with massive ascites in whom a diagnosis of pancreatitis was made on a raised ascitic amylase level after two inconclusive laparotomies. He developed a pseudocyst which was managed with repeated percutaneous needle aspirations, nutrition being maintained intravenously. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) demonstrated a congenital intra-pancreatic cyst. He thrived after operation drainage for recurrent pseudocyst, but repeat ERCP shows that the cyst in the head of the pancreas remains. Pancreatic ascites is rare in children and diagnosis is frequently delayed. A third of reported cases in childhood present in the first year of life. A search for the underlying cause should include an ERCP to demonstrate abnormalities of the pancreaticobiliary ducts.

Surgical treatment of pancreas divisum causing pancreatitis in children

Although controversial, pancreas divisum has been implicated as a cause of acute pancreatitis when there is stenosis of the accessory papilla that drains the duct of Santorini. Over the past 5 years, four children with pancreas divisum and recurrent pancreatitis were successfully treated surgically. The diagnosis was made by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in each case. Surgical treatment included sphincteroplasty to the accessory papilla to improve drainage of the duct of Santorini, opening the ampulla of Vater to expose the ostium of the duct of Wirsung to enlarge it, and cholecystectomy.

Acute pancreatitis in six non-transplanted uraemic children. A co-operative study from the French Society of Paediatric Nephrology

Ten clinical episodes of acute pancreatitis (AP) occurred in six patients (mean age 10 years, range 3-15 years) with chronic renal failure (CRF) during a 9-year period (1977-1986). The underlying cause of CRF was vesicoureteral reflux (2); urethral valves (1); ureterohydronephrosis (1); nephronopthisis (1) and a haemolytic uraemic syndrome which occurred 12 years before (1). In all patients a diagnosis of AP was established both on clinical grounds and with a serum amylase level of greater than 600 IU/l. In 3 patients laparotomy was performed because of suspected appendicitis. All patients required exclusive parenteral feeding (mean duration 25 days) and 2 patients had a partial pancreatectomy. No patient developed pancreatic pseudocysts, 2 patients experienced one relapse (3 and 21 months later) and 1 patient had two relapses and died. Mean duration of follow up was 3 years (range 1-10 years). Possible aetiological factors were: choledochal cyst (1); parotitis without a rise in mumps antibodies (1); familial dyslipidaemia but without AP in other family members (1), and aluminium intoxication with hypercalcaemia and convulsive encephalopathy treated with valproic acid in 1 patient. Severe hyperparathyroidism with radiological signs was absent in all patients. Transplantation had been performed either before AP in 2 patients (1 and 3 years before AP) or had followed AP in 1 patient (7 years after) without occurrence or relapse of AP.

Surgical disorders of the pancreas in infancy and childhood

Pancreatic disorders in infants and children encountered over a 20 year period are reviewed. A total of 79 children were treated. Forty-eight had pancreatitis or its complications, 17 had congenital malformations, 12 had hypoglycemia and hyperinsulinism, and 2 had carcinoma. The mortality rate for the children with pancreatitis was 17 percent and was limited to patients treated nonoperatively. Idiopathic and drug-induced pancreatitis (the latter, particularly from corticosteroids) were the predominant types. Only rarely should such patients undergo operative treatment. Operations performed for various obstructive or traumatic lesions of the pancreas, as well as for complications of pancreatitis, obtained uniformly good results. The most common congenital malformation of the pancreas was an annular pancreas in association with duodenal atresia; all children with this abnormality were successfully treated with bypass procedures. Four patients with an ectopic pancreas underwent successful wedge resection. Nine infants with nesidioblastosis or islet cell hyperplasia and three children with islet cell adenomas underwent successful resection without any deaths, although neurologic sequelae due to prolonged preoperative hypoglycemia were common. Two patients underwent radical resection for pancreatic carcinoma, one of whom had survived 20 years postoperatively at last follow-up. Pancreatic disorders requiring operation in childhood are uncommon, but are likely to be complex and challenging when they do occur.

Pancreatitis in childhood. Experience with 49 patients

Pancreatitis in children is not common but can be associated with severe morbidity rates. We have treated 49 children with pancreatitis over the past 12 years ranging in age from 1 month to 18 years. One third of the patients had biliary tract disease as an etiology, with nearly half of these being related to underlying hematologic disease, usually sickle cell anemia. Another third of the pancreatitis was due to trauma, and one third of these were related to child abuse. Other etiologies were systemic disease (6 patients), congenital anomalies (8 patients), and idiopathic (3 cases). Eighty-two per cent of the patients presented with abdominal pain, but four children, all less than 4 years old, presented with an abdominal mass. Twenty-nine patients required 33 operations for pancreatitis. Fifteen of the 16 patients with biliary tract disease and all patients with congenital anomalies required operation. Six of the 16 patients with trauma required operation and none of those with systemic disease. As in adults ultrasonographic examination and CT scan are most important in the diagnosis; medical treatment consists of intravenous (I.V.) fluids, nasogastric suction, and total parenteral nutrition (TPN), and risk factors can help predict the severity of the disease while amylase alone is not related to severity. Different from adults, in children an etiology can usually be determined. The common etiologies, biliary tract disease, trauma, and congenital anomalies frequently require operation.

Clinicopathologic studies in childhood pancreatitis

In a review of pediatric autopsies from 1951 to 1985, we identified 40 cases in which pancreatitis was diagnosed pathologically. Twenty-six of these patients were under 4 years of age, and the male-to-female ratio was 1.5. Six groups of patients were identified: 10 with hepatobiliary disease, including 9 with biliary atresia; 7 with immunosuppressive therapy for tumors (n = 2), leukemia (n = 4) and aplastic anemia (n = 1); 6 with viral infections; 8 with congenital anomalies, including congenital heart disease (n = 3); and 9 with miscellaneous problems. Several patients had surgery and various intercurrent complications. Clinical features attributable to the pancreatitis included vomiting or excessive nasogastric drainage (60%), pleural effusions (40%), and abdominal pain (25%). However, the diagnosis was suspected clinically in only 5 of 40 patients. Our findings suggest several pathogenic mechanisms exist for childhood pancreatitis: biliary obstruction, infections, drug toxicity, immunosuppression (acting in synergy with drug toxicity, trauma, and low-flow states resulting from shock, heart failure, and vasculopathy.

Pediatric pancreatic pseudocyst associated with cholelithiasis

Pseudocyst of the pancreas is an uncommon problem in pediatric practice, and when related to gallstones, it is rare. A 13-year-old male adolescent with pseudocyst of the pancreas associated with cholelithiasis and chronic cholecystitis presented with a peculiar clinical picture. The etiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of pancreatic pseudocysts and gallstone pancreatitis in children are discussed.

Pancreatitis in teenagers

Pancreatitis in teenagers is rare and has not received attention in the medical literature. A retrospective study was conducted to identify unique factors in this age group. Clinical data, cause, radiographic evaluation, operative procedure, and outcome were reviewed in 21 teenagers. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and computerized axial tomography proved to be valuable in determining the etiology and the role and type of operation. Causes of disease were varied but were established in 86 percent of patients; as a group, teenagers were unlike children or adults in their disease characteristics. A high percentage of teenagers required operation (76 percent), with most benefiting from surgery (88 percent).

Acute pancreatitis in children

Twenty-nine children with acute pancreatitis were managed during the period 1971 to 1983. Aetiology included trauma (5), mumps (5), drug therapy (4), biliary disease (1), and cystic fibrosis (1); 13 cases were classified as idiopathic. Diagnosis could be difficult, and unnecessary laparotomies were performed in 7 instances for suspected appendicitis. One patient, however, had a well-justified laparotomy revealing coexisting severe appendicitis and pancreatitis. Morbidity included relapses (7), pseudocysts (3), obstructive duodenal hematoma (1), and miscellaneous problems (4). Improvements in management included endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography (ERCP) to exclude anatomical anomalies in relapsing cases, ultrasonography for the diagnosis of pseudocysts and for follow-up measurements in two such cases successfully managed conservatively, and increasing use of total parenteral nutrition in cases with protracted disease or serious complications.

Diseases causing fetal and neonatal ascites

Causes of fetal ascites are reviewed, and 3 new cases are reported. A protocol is suggested for intrauterine investigation of the spectrum of diseases causing fetal ascites. There is some overlap with causes of hydrops fetalis.

Relapsing acute and chronic pancreatitis

Twenty five children with non-traumatic relapsing acute or chronic pancreatitis who had been followed up from five months to seven years were studied. Seven had congenital anomalies, including two with choledochal cysts and four with pancreas divisum. Alcohol related disease was suspected in one child. The importance of diabetes in two patients and a positive family history in a further three is discussed, but in 12 children no association was found. Management was similar to that for adults. Surgical intervention was required in six patients, and percutaneous drainage of pseudocysts in a further three. Outcome has generally been good.

Longitudinal pancreaticojejunostomy in chronic relapsing pancreatitis with onset in childhood

Despite the rarity of chronic relapsing pancreatitis in children, in the last 15 years at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and its Children's Hospital we have used longitudinal pancreaticojejunostomy in treatment of eight patients whose symptoms began in childhood. Duration of symptoms ranged from 2 to 36 years. Seven of the eight patients had hereditary pancreatitis. Recurrent epigastric pain was characteristic and serum amylase was elevated in all patients on admission or shortly thereafter. Demonstration of an obstructed dilated pancreatic duct in all and stones in seven of eight patients by operative pancreatography in three early patients and by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in five others established the therapeutic problem and facilitated treatment by removal of stones and longitudinal pancreaticojejunostomy. Results were uniformly excellent, both in the early postoperative period and in long-range follow-ups. Early diagnosis and early surgical drainage of the obstructed pancreatic duct by longitudinal pancreaticojejunostomy are desirable objectives in chronic relapsing pancreatitis with onset in childhood.

Acute pancreatitis in infants and children

Acute pancreatitis is being encountered more often in children due to antimetabolite therapy, accidental injury, and traumatic battering. Pancreatitis may occur in the absence of traditionally elevated serum amylase and lipase, and initial diagnosis may depend upon ultrasonography. Traditional therapy of enteric rest with nasogastric suction has been supported by the use of parenteral nutrition. Newer pharmaceutical agents have been ineffective in altering the course of the illness or in preventing complications of pseudocyst or abscess.

Surgical implications of chronic pancreatitis

Surgical experience with 9 patients with chronic pancreatitis is reviewed. Vague, atypical abdominal pain and obstructive jaundice were the most common form of presentation. Serum amylase was elevated in less than half the patients. Ultrasound, ERCP, and operative cholangiopancreatography were the most helpful studies. Ampullary or intrapancreatic obstruction were the main indications for operation, and, when relieved, resulted in resolution of symptoms for an average followup of 4.4 yr. Patients with familial and recurrent bouts of pancreatitis should be studied with ERCP to determine if an anatomic lesion is present.

Acute pancreatitis: the difficulties of diagnosis and therapy

Acute pancreatitis in children is uncommon but is being recognized frequently. Twenty-four children provided clinical data to review the various manifestations and therapy of acute pancreatitis, all of these patients having survived a clinical episode. Recognition of acute pancreatitis has been improved by the advent of new diagnostic procedures such as serum amylase isoenzymes, amylase/creatinine ratio, ultrasonography, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), computerized axial tomography (CAT) scan, and peritoneal lavage. The causative factors in our series were: trauma, biliary disease,, viral (mumps), and steroid therapy. Treatment of acute pancreatitis was nonsurgical unless a specific surgical lesion was present.

Hyperamylasemia, duodenal duplication, and pleural effusions in hereditary spherocytosis

A 15-year-old girl with hereditary spherocytosis was admitted for evaluation of recurrent pleural effusions containing amylase in high concentration and was found to have biliary obstruction, pancreatitis, and a congenital duplication of the duodenum attached to an accessory lobe of the pancreas via the duct of Santorini, a unique entity. Successful surgical management of these disorders included common duct clearance and anastomosis of the duplication to the adjacent duodenum.

Cholecystitis, cholelithiasis and common duct stenosis in children and adolescents

A study of 100 patients from 14 months through 18 years of age with extrahepatic biliary tract conditions who have been treated from 1950 through 1979 is reported. For discussion, these have been classified into four groups including acalculous cholecystitis, nonhemolytic cholelithiasis, hemolytic cholelithiasis and stenosis of the common duct. Ninety-nine patients were operated on and there were no deaths. Except for unusual contraindications, cholecystectomy is preferred for acute noncalculous cholecystitis. The largest number having gallstones were those patients (87%) without hemolytic disease. Only 13% had an associated hemolytic disorder. Cholecystectomy is the preferred treatment and common duct exploration is utilized when indicated. Six children with chronic relapsing pancreatitis secondary to stenosis of the ampulla of Vater and two with common duct stenosis are analyzed. Although extrahepatic biliary disorders are usually not considered in the differential diagnosis of children and adolescents with vague abdominal pain, it is evident by this large number of patients that there should be greater emphasis placed on earlier diagnosis in the future.

Improved management of pancreatic lesions in children aided by ERCP

Internal pancreatic fistulas have only recently been recognized as distinct entities in children. Unless their pathophysiology is understood they can present the clinician with a diagnostic dilemma. Recently, these entities have been better defined in the adult literature and significant improvement made in treatment. We report a case of a child with pancreatic ascites in whom endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography significantly aided the diagnosis and the operative management. An outline of recommended management of pancreatic lesions in children is presented including internal pancreatic fistulas.

The unusual presentation of pancreatitis in infancy

Two infants with acute pancreatitis are described. It appears that acute pancreatitis in infancy presents in one of two ways: part of a severe generalized illness, or as ascites. The outlook for the former depends on the prognosis of the generalized illness. If pancreatitis can be recognized as the cause of the ascites, then adequate treatment will result in survival. Although the cause in some infants is said to be idiopathic, exploration should be performed, the lesser sac investigated and if the child is in reasonable condition, appropriate study of the biliary tree and pancreatic ductile system should be considered. If a pseudocyst is present, adequate drainage is mandatory. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment will be possible only if this rare disorder is suspected. The eventual prognosis is excellent and the chance of recurrent attacks is minimal.

Pancreatitis in childhood

Follow-up of 25 cases of pancreatitis in childhood ascertained from the Hospital Activity Analysis in Newcastle and Wales showed that the majority of the children thrived after their illness. Only one child died. Only 2 children developed diabetes mellitus and 3 had significant malabsorption. There were 13 idiopathic cases (9 acute, 4 chronic relapsing), 3 of which were obese girls of pubertal age. It is speculated that obesity, puberty and female sex together may predispose to acute pancreatitis.

Pseudocyst formation in hereditary pancreatitis

The previously estimated incidence of pseudocyst formation in hereditary pancreatitis is approximately 10%. Our experience in nine patients with hereditary pancreatitis yielded five surgically documented pseudocysts and three additional patients with radiographically documented mass effects. Recent studies have shown a 20% spontaneous regression rate for pancreatic pseudocysts (of all etiologies), when evaluated by B-mode ultrasonography; our experience suggests that the incidence of pseudocyst formation in hereditary pancreatitis is considerably higher than previously suspected. Ultrasonography is thought to be an excellent method for diagnosing this entity, of evaluating mass effects identified on radiographic studies, and of providing sequential evaluation of pseudocysts treated surgically or conservatively.

Pancreatitis in childhood

Thirty cases of pancreatitis in children are reviewed. Diagnosis is based on the clinical findings of pancreatic inflammation, laboratory confirmation with elevated serum and/or urinary amylase values, and in some cases surgical or postmortem tissue substantiation. Four major classes of pancreatitis are defined in children: (1) traumatic; (2) systemic-disease associated; (3) drug-induced, caused by drug therapy for various life-threatening diseases, and (4) chronic pancreatitis, with or without an anatomic abnormality. If cases of traumatic pancreatitis are excluded, females outnumber males 5 to 1. A high index of suspicion is necessary to make the diagnosis, and this is very important if the mortality for pancreatitis in children is to be lowered. Awareness and consistent early aggressive intervention should increase the salvage rate.

Pancreatitis in children and adolescents

Normal serum amylase values were established for the pediatric age group (47.7 +/- 28.6 mg/dl); these are higher than previously stated. Average serum amylase values increased with increasing age (r = 0.55). The three commonest causes of pancreatitis in 54 patients studied were drug induced (16), idiopathic (10), and traumatic (7). Prednisone was the most frequently implicated drug. Midepigastric pain and vomiting were the presenting symptoms in 75% of the patients. Serum amylase values were more than three times normal in 63.8% of patients; 17% of patients presented with normal serum amylase values. The typical patient received intravenous therapy for 5.4 days and was hospitalized for 9.4 days. Treatment with antibiotic and anticholinergic drugs did not alter mortality or morbidity rates. Mortality rate for acute interstitial pancreatitis was 17.5%, and for acute hemorrhagic pancreatitis was 86%.

Acute pancreatitis associated with gallstones in a twelve-year-old girl

Pancreatitis is a rare disease under the age of 15 years, and expecially so when associated with gallstones. A case is reported here of a young girl who had acute pancreatitis and was subsequently found to have gallstones. She made an uneventful recovery and remains symptom-free after cholecystectomy.

Operative management of pancreatic pseudocysts in infants and children: a review of 75 cases

This report combines the findings and treatment in 15 infants and children with pancreatic pseudocysts with 60 additional cases from a literature review. The mean age at diagnosis was 7.5 years with pseudocyst being more common in boys (44:31). Sixty per cent were due to trauma, while in 32% the cause was unknown. Abdominal pain (68%), a mass (64%), and vomiting (52%) were the most frequent findings. The serum amylase was elevated and the upper gastrointestinal contrast study consistent with a mass in 88% of cases. Operative treatment included external drainage in 25 children (33%), cystgastrostomy or cyst-jejunostomy in 34 (45%), excision in 10 (13%) and miscellaneous procedures in 6 (8%). Complications were relatively few and there were no deaths recorded. Recurrence rate for cyst-gastrostomy was 4.7%, cyst-jejunostomy 7.6%, external drainage 8% and cyst-duodenostomy 50%. External drainage operations had prolonged cutaneous drainage. These observations suggest the appropriate operation is determined by the location and duration of pseudocyst. Internal drainage is preferred and avoids complications seen following resection and external drainage. Cyst-gastrostomy is effective when the pseudocyst is retrogastric and adherent to the stomach wall. Cyst-jejunostomy is most useful in instances in which the pseudocyst in not adherent to the stomach wall. Low recurrence rates and a zero mortality rate makes operative treatment highly acceptable therapy. Low recurrence rates are expected in childhood cases, (particularly related to trauma) due to an absence of underlying pancreatic disease and ductal obstruction.

Pancreatitis in children. A study in the North of England

Cases of pancreatitis in children in the Newcastle Regional Board area were studied over approximately 6 years. There were 9 cases aged between 6 weeks and 15 years. In 5 children (all under 7 years of age) likely aetiological factors were found (2 cases of mumps and 1 case wach due to trauma, measles, and hereditary pancreatitis). In 4 children all over 13 years of age no likely aetiological factor was found. It is speculated that they may represent one end of the age spectrum of idiopathic pancreatitis as it occurs in adults. Hereditary pancreatis was definitely found in only one child and possibly in one other. Therefore, it probably does not represent the major cause of pancreatitis in children as has been previously thought. One child died, but all the other children have thrived since their illness.

Pancreatic pseudocysts in children: 4 cases from Uganda

Four cases of pancreatic pseudocyst in African children are described. There is some evidence that they followed pancreatitis of unknown aetiology. None had a history of trauma. Three were treated by cystogastrostomy, and the fourth by excision of the cyst.

A British family with herediatary pancreatitis

A family with hereditary pancreatitis is described. Nine family members definitely have had pancreatitis, whilst 15 more are suspected of having the disease. The condition presents as recurrent attacks of epigastric or central abdominal pain, sometimes radiating to the back, often associated with vomiting. The attacks of pain usually last three to four days. The inheritance fits well with an autosomal dominant pattern with limited penetrance, as it does in other families described in the literature. There is no aminoaciduria as has been described in some previously reported families. The attacks of pain start in childhood or young adult life (mean age of onset inthis family is 12-6 years) and appear to cease in this family by the age of 40 years. The diagnosis of pancreatitis in members of the family who have had confirmed pancreatitis was made by finding a raised serum amylase concentration in four cases, at laparotomy in four cases, and by pancreatic calcification seen on radiography in one case, The literature on the condition is reviewed, and it is speculated that the condition may have been underdiagnosed in Britain.

Acute hemorrhagic pancreatitis and pseudocyst due to mumps

This is the first reported case of mumps hemorrhagic pancreatitis in a child, documented at operation, and by rising mumps titers and complicated by a pseudocyst. In severe cases when surgery is indicated, drainage of the lesser sac usually prevents pseudocyst formation. If a pseudocyst occurs, drainage is required to eliminate disabling pain and chronic pancreatitis. Live attenuated mumps vaccine may eliminate this source of pancreatitis from American children in the future.