Annular pancreas in children: a decade of experience

Annular pancreas is an uncommon cause of duodenal obstruction in children. In this study, the clinical, radiological, and prognostic findings related to this disorder over a 12-year review period were analyzed.

A retrospective review of 22 patients with annular pancreas who were treated with surgical repair between April 1998 and February 2010 was performed at two different pediatric surgical units. Presenting symptoms, associated anomalies, radiological findings, the type of surgery performed, postoperative outcomes, and complications were analyzed.

Twenty-two patients were identified. Thirteen of the 22 patients (59.1%) were born prematurely, 11 patients (50%) had low birth weight, 2 patients (9.1%) had very low birth weight and 1 patient (4.5%) had extremely low birth weight. The mean birth weight was 2285.23±675.12 g. (970-3300). All patients presented with vomiting, which was bilious in nine (40.9%). Nine patients (40.9%) had chromosomal anomalies. Corrective surgery consisted of duodenoduodenostomy in 9 patients (40.9 %), duodenojejunostomy in 9 patients (40.9%), and gastrojejunostomy in 4 patients (18.1%). Fourteen of the 22 patients have survived (63.6%). The causes of death were combinations of sepsis, pneumonia, brain hemorrhage, and cardiac anomaly.

Infants with annular pancreas associated with duodenal obstruction were often born prematurely and/or had low birth weights; many had cardiovascular anomalies. Annular pancreas associated with duodenal obstruction correlated strongly with the trisomy 21 karyotype among the chromosomal anomalies, as did duodenal atresia. The oral feeding tolerance time was nearly the same for all patients regardless of the surgical procedure used.