[Injuries to the pancreas].

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Trauma Surgery
• Abdominal Imaging

Context:

• Traumatic pancreatic injuries are complex, often resulting from blunt or penetrating abdominal trauma.
• Understanding the spectrum of injury severity and types is crucial for effective management.
• Early and accurate diagnosis is essential to guide therapeutic strategies and improve patient outcomes.

Purpose:

• To analyze the clinical manifestations, diagnostic methods, and therapeutic outcomes of traumatic pancreatic injuries.
• To evaluate the incidence and characteristics of complications, particularly traumatic pancreatitis and pancreonecrosis.
• To identify factors influencing mortality in patients with severe pancreatic trauma.

Summary:

• A retrospective analysis of 105 patients with traumatic pancreatic damage (92 closed, 13 open injuries) was conducted.
• Injuries included contusion (73), parenchymal (21), and parenchymal-duct (11) damage, with varying clinical presentations based on trauma type and severity.
• Nonoperative and surgical treatments were evaluated, revealing traumatic pancreatitis in 24.5% and pancreonecrosis in 2.7% of cases, with a 12.24% mortality for progressive pancreonecrosis.

Impact:

• This research provides valuable insights into the management of traumatic pancreatic injuries, emphasizing the importance of early diagnosis and tailored treatment.
• The findings highlight the significant morbidity and mortality associated with complications like destructive pancreatitis and pancreonecrosis.
• It underscores the need for continued research into optimizing diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for these challenging injuries.