Pancreatic surgery in children

Pancreatic surgery in children is a relatively uncommon occurrence, and this unfamiliarity can be associated with significant morbidity and potential mortality. Surgical therapy of pancreatic disorders has been significantly facilitated by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, which can now be performed in children with success rates equaling those in adults. This technique delineates pancreatic duct anatomy, which is an essential part of the diagnosis and surgical treatment of important pancreatic disease processes. Pancreatic diseases requiring surgical treatment in children can be placed into three categories: 1) congenital pancreatic ductal anomalies causing pancreatitis, 2) pancreatic trauma, and 3) pancreatic tumors. This article reviews the recent literature on pancreatic surgery in children, particularly highlighting the areas where a consensus of opinion does not exist.