IMAGES IN EMERGENCY MEDICINE
Pancreatic fracture after trivial blunt abdominal trauma
1 Emergency Admission Unit, Addenbrookes University Hospital, Cambridge, UK
2 Bedford Hospital NHS Trust, Bedford, UK
Correspondence to:
Correspondence to S Elkhodair, Emergency Admission Unit, Addenbrookes University Hosptial, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 2QQ, UK; samerbaron@yahoo.com
| The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below. |
A 24-year-old man presented to the emergency department with abdominal discomfort.
He had been drinking at home and while going downstairs he stumbled, leant against the banister and vomited violently.
Physical examination elicited diffuse abdominal tenderness. Abnormal laboratory results included an elevated white cell count of 22.8 cells/µl and an amylase level of 1005 µg/ml. A provisional diagnosis of pancreatitis was made.
A computed tomography scan was arranged, which showed a complete gap in the pancreas within the proximal body—a fractured pancreas. There was a significant amount of fluid in the lesser sac (see fig 1).
Figure 1 CT scan showing fractured pancreas with a significant amount of fluid in the lesser sac.
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The surgical team took over the patient’s care and reported good postoperative recovery.
Pancreatic injuries can present with just few equivocal symptoms or signs. Computed tomography is the most effective imaging modality for the diagnosis of pancreatic injury.
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