[Pancreatic trauma: analysis of 29 cases]

To investigate the relationship between complications and the kind of pancreatic lesion and surgery performed. KIND OF STUDY: Retrospective.

The patients were operated on at the Pronto Socorro--Mandaqui Hospital Complex, from January 1987 to January 1990.

The authors analyzed 29 patients victims of penetrating or blunt abdominal trauma who were operated on in that period. 27 of them were male. 20 (69%) were shotgun victims; 5 (17.2%) were victims of cold steels; and 4 (13.8%) were victims of blunt trauma.

In pancreatic head lesions (5 cases), hemostasis and drainage were performed in three cases; duodenopancreatectomy in one case; and suture in one case. In traumas to the pancreatic body (13 cases), six pancreatectomies, five drainages, and two sutures were performed. In traumas to the pancreatic tail (11 cases), six pancreatectomies, four sutures and one drainage were performed.

Complications occurred in all patients with pancreatic head lesions, in eight patients with trauma to the pancreatic body, and in five patients trauma to the pancreatic tail. The most frequent complications were intracavitary abscesses (seven cases), and pancreatic fistulae (five cases). Morbidity rate was 72.4% and mortality rate was 17.2%.

The authors conclude that indication of pancreatectomy in ductal lesions should be done, exception being made to cases of pancreatic head trauma, for which a suture or simple drainage can be used in superficial lesions. In doubt, an expert surgeon may be called.