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Acute gallstone pancreatitis in childhood

R Sutton1, S Cheslyn-Curtis

  • 1Department of Surgery, The Luton and Dunstable Hospital, Luton, Bedfordshire, UK.

Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England
|January 5, 2002
PubMed

Insights

Acute pancreatitis in children is often misdiagnosed. Early investigation of gallstone disease is crucial to prevent serious complications like jaundice.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Gastroenterology
  • Hepatology
  • Surgical Gastroenterology

Background:

  • Acute pancreatitis is infrequently diagnosed in pediatric patients with abdominal pain.
  • Gallstones are an uncommon cause of pancreatitis in children, with trauma, infections, and idiopathic factors being more frequent.
  • Delayed diagnosis of gallstone disease can lead to severe complications.

Observation:

  • Three pediatric cases of acute pancreatitis and jaundice caused by gallstones are presented.
  • These cases resolved with conservative management, followed by laparoscopic cholecystectomy and, in some cases, ERCP.
  • All three children had prior undiagnosed symptoms suggestive of gallstone disease.

Findings:

  • Gallstone-induced acute pancreatitis can occur in children and may present with jaundice.
  • Conservative treatment can be effective for acute gallstone pancreatitis in pediatric patients.
  • Laparoscopic cholecystectomy, with or without ERCP, is a viable management strategy for pediatric gallstones.

Implications:

  • Pediatric acute pancreatitis warrants consideration in emergency abdominal pain evaluations.
  • Investigating recurrent upper abdominal pain for gallstone disease is essential in children.
  • Timely diagnosis and management of pediatric gallstone disease can prevent severe outcomes like acute pancreatitis and jaundice.

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