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Relapsing pancreatitis in a child duplication in an aberrant pancreatic lobe
A D Yang1, C H Chang, Y M Wang
1Department of Radiology, Changhua Christian Hospital, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Insights
A rare congenital anomaly, aberrant pancreatic lobe with enteric duplication cyst, caused relapsing pancreatitis in an 8-year-old boy. CT imaging revealed a unique presentation, enabling successful surgical management.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Congenital Foregut Anomalies
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Relapsing pancreatitis in children can stem from rare congenital conditions.
- Aberrant pancreatic lobes and enteric duplication cysts are infrequently associated causes.
- Early diagnosis is crucial for effective treatment and management.
Observation:
- An 8-year-old boy presented with recurrent episodes of pancreatitis.
- Computed tomography (CT) identified an unusually long aberrant pancreatic lobe.
- The lobe projected anteriorly, mimicking an inflammatory mass near a cystic duodenal duplication.
Findings:
- The CT findings depicted a unique anatomical presentation not previously reported.
- The aberrant pancreatic lobe's association with the duodenal duplication cyst was identified.
- This rare congenital foregut anomaly was the direct cause of the child's pancreatitis.
Implications:
- Accurate anatomical visualization via CT is vital for diagnosing rare pancreatic conditions.
- Surgical intervention is a viable and successful treatment for this specific anomaly.
- Understanding such rare presentations improves diagnostic capabilities for pediatric pancreatitis.
Abstract:
An aberrant pancreatic lobe associated with an enteric duplication cyst is a rare cause of relapsing pancreatitis in childhood. We present an 8-year-old boy with relapsing pancreatitis caused by this rare congenital foregut anomaly. The computed tomography (CT) findings revealed an unusually long segment of aberrant pancreatic lobe arising from the pancreatic neck, projecting anteriorly at a distance to a cystic duodenal duplication and appearing as an inflammatory mass. There has been no previous report of this unusual appearance on CT. Appreciation of the relevant anatomy provided by CT led to the successful management of this surgically-treatable cause of relapsing pancreatitis.