Groove pancreatitis: case report and literature review

Groove pancreatitis is a form of chronic pancreatitis affecting the groove between the head of the pancreas, the duodenum and the common bile duct. It was first described by Becker in 1973. Differentiation between groove pancreatitis and pancreatic head carcinoma is often difficult. Herein, we report a 24-year-old man with groove pancreatitis presenting with epigastralgia, jaundice, fever and vomiting. The diagnosis was confirmed by computed tomography of the abdomen, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and surgical exploration. The operative procedures involved were pancreatic biopsy and choledochotomy with T-tube drainage. The patient had an uneventful postoperative course.