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Annular pancreas causing localized recurrent pancreatitis in a child: report of a case
Yasuharu Ohno1, Takashi Kanematsu
1Division of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan.
Insights
Annular pancreas, a rare congenital condition, can cause relapsing acute pancreatitis localized within the pancreatic ring in children. This case highlights the potential for this anomaly to trigger recurrent pancreatitis episodes.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Congenital Anomalies
- Pancreatic Diseases
Background:
- Annular pancreas is a rare congenital anomaly where pancreatic tissue encircles the duodenum.
- Acute pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas, often presenting with abdominal pain.
Observation:
- A 6-year-old boy presented with recurrent episodes of acute pancreatitis over 12 months.
- Diagnostic imaging revealed a ring of pancreatic tissue (annular pancreas) causing duodenal stenosis.
Findings:
- The patient experienced relapsing acute pancreatitis localized within the annular pancreas.
- Imaging confirmed a dilated duct within the annular pancreas, characteristic of pancreatitis.
Implications:
- This case suggests that annular pancreas may predispose children to localized, relapsing acute pancreatitis.
- Early diagnosis and management are crucial for children with annular pancreas and pancreatitis.
Abstract:
Annular pancreas is a rare congenital anomaly. We report a case of relapsing acute pancreatitis localized in the annulus of an annular pancreas in a young child. A 6-year-old boy complained of abdominal pain and we made a diagnosis of acute pancreatitis based on blood biochemistry results. Over the subsequent 12 months, he experienced two more pancreatitis-like attacks. Endoscopy revealed a duodenal stenosis in the second portion of the duodenum. Ultrasound, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging depicted a ring of pancreatic tissue encircling the duodenum with a duct in the tissue, manifesting dilatation with a characteristic circular pattern around the duodenum. No dilatation of the dorsal pancreatic duct or pancreatic divisum was found. Based on these findings, we diagnosed acute pancreatitis localized in an annulus in an annular pancreas. This case report suggests that an annular pancreas may predispose to localized relapsing acute pancreatitis even in a child.
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