Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 18, 2025
Robotic-assisted Lateral Pancreaticojejunostomy for Chronic Pancreatitis
Published on: September 5, 2025
Endoscopic cyst gastrostomy for traumatic pancreatic pseudocysts in children: a case series
Bethany J Farr1, Victor L Fox2, David P Mooney1
1Department of Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Insights
Endoscopic cyst gastrostomy offers a safe and effective treatment for children experiencing persistent pancreatic pseudocysts after trauma. This minimally invasive approach provides a viable alternative for managing these complex pediatric injuries.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Surgery
- Gastroenterology
- Trauma Management
Background:
- Pancreatic pseudocysts can arise after severe pancreatic injuries in children.
- While many resolve spontaneously, persistent symptomatic cases require intervention, with treatment options debated.
- Endoscopic cyst gastrostomy has shown success in pediatric pseudocysts of various causes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the safety and efficacy of endoscopic cyst gastrostomy for pediatric pancreatic pseudocysts.
- To present a case series of children treated with this minimally invasive technique.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective review of a level 1 pediatric trauma center's data from 2008-2019.
- Inclusion criteria: children with symptomatic pancreatic pseudocysts following trauma.
- Analysis of five consecutive cases treated with endoscopic cyst gastrostomy.
Main Results:
- Five children with persistent symptomatic pancreatic pseudocysts post-blunt abdominal trauma were treated.
- All five cases demonstrated successful outcomes following endoscopic cyst gastrostomy.
- The study highlights a consistent positive response to the procedure.
Conclusions:
- Endoscopic cyst gastrostomy is a safe and effective treatment modality.
- It provides a valuable option for managing symptomatic pancreatic pseudocysts in pediatric trauma patients.
- This minimally invasive approach warrants consideration in clinical practice.
Background:
Pancreatic pseudocysts may develop after high-grade pancreatic injuries in children. Many resolve without intervention, and the management of symptomatic pseudocysts that persist remains controversial, with various open, percutaneous and laparoscopic approaches to intervention described. Successful endoscopic cyst gastrostomy has been reported in children with pancreatic pseudocysts of mixed etiology.
Methods:
The trauma registry and electronic medical record of a level 1 pediatric trauma center were queried for children with a symptomatic pseudocyst following pancreatic trauma over a 12-year period, from 2008 to 2019.
Results:
We describe a case series of five consecutive children with persistent symptomatic pancreatic pseudocysts following blunt abdominal trauma all successfully treated with endoscopic cyst gastrostomy.
Discussion:
Endoscopic cyst gastrostomy appears to be safe and effective in the management of symptomatic pancreatic pseudocysts in children following pancreatic trauma.
Level Of Evidence:
5 - retrospective case series.
