Painless acute pancreatitis subsequent to anticholinesterase insecticide (parathion) intoxication

Painless acute hemorrhagic pancreatitis, manifested only by an ileus, is described in two of nine patients after ingestion of parathion, a poisonous anticholinesterase insecticide. Other investigators have shown in animal experiments that parathion increases pancreatic intraductal pressure and stimulates pancreatic secretion. Such described cases may be designated pathologically as clinical examples of acute obstruction pancreatitis. Hemoperfusion is usually chosen to treat parathion intoxication, but carries the risk of causing hemorrhages in acute hemorrhagic pancreatitis. Clinically, it is therefore important to determine, by way of enzyme estimations and imaging procedures, whether acute pancreatitis has occurred following parathion intoxication, so that the prognosis for the poisoned patient is comprehensive enough and the antidated measures applied do not aggravate the pancreatic condition.