[Pancreatic injuries]

Within a constant increase in the number of injured in the last ten years a significant rise in the number of abdominal injuries has been noticeable. From 1,2% of ten years ago, abdomeninal injuries have risen to 4,6% of the total number of treated patients. While in earlier years pancreatic injuries were a rarity, in 1974 there were six patients with an injury to the pancreas due to either a blunt or penetranting wound of the abdomen. Out of altogether (21) treated patients only in one was an isolated injury to the pancreas found. We have never been able to recognise with certainty the injury to the pancreas with clinical methods, but only surgical exploration enabled us to make an accurate diagnosis. In all surgically treated pancreatic injuries a suture of the capsule of the pancreas was done after débridement and minute hemostasis. Only in one case of complete transversal rupture of the corpus we decided upon a resection and a blind closure of the truncus. The site of the injury was obligatorily repeatedly drained in order to remove pancreatic secretions from the abdominal cavity. Out of the total number of patients surgically operated were 12, of whom 7 died. Other patients could not be operated upon because of the traumatic shock, so that pancreatic traumas in these patients were discovered at a postmortem examination.