BACKGROUND: Traumatic lesions of the pancreas following blunt or penetrating abdominal trauma are infrequent. The aim of this retrospective study on traumatic pancreatic injuries was to assess the experience of an academic center and to report prognostic factors and surgical treatment. METHODS: Patients with pancreatic injuries were identified during a 9-year period from the registries of a level I trauma center and medical records were reviewed. Parameters analyzed were mechanism of injury, presence of shock, degree of injury, trauma score, operative management, outcome, morbidity and mortality. RESULTS: Eighty-nine patients sustaining pancreatic injuries were identified and diagnosis was made during laparotomy in all cases. Penetrating abdominal trauma was observed in 67.4% of the cases. Using the Organ Injury Scale, grade II and III wounds were more common and management was defined according to the degree and site of injury. Mortality was 21.3% and it was significantly higher in patients presenting shock on admission, pancreatic injury grades IV and V and higher Injury Severity Score (ISS). CONCLUSION: Pancreatic injury is a rare but deadly phenomenon and mortality rate is related to the presence of shock on admission, degree of pancreatic injury and trauma scores.
Pancreas; Pancreatic injury; Management
