PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - J-H Chen
AU  - C-H Chern
AU  - J-D Chen
AU  - C-K How
AU  - L-M Wang
AU  - C-H Lee
TI  - Left flank pain as the sole manifestation of acute pancreatitis: a report of a case with an initial misdiagnosis
DP  - 2005 Jun 01
TA  - Emergency Medicine Journal
PG  - 452--453
VI  - 22
IP  - 6
4099  - http://emj.bmj.com/content/22/6/452.short
4100  - http://emj.bmj.com/content/22/6/452.full
SO  - Emerg Med J2005 Jun 01; 22
AB  - Acute pancreatitis is not an uncommon disease in an emergency department (ED). It manifests as upper abdominal pain, sometimes with radiation of pain to the back and flank region. Isolated left flank pain being the sole manifestation of acute pancreatitis is very rare and not previously identified in the literature. In this report, we present a case of acute pancreatitis presenting solely with left flank pain. Having negative findings on an ultrasound initially, she was misdiagnosed as having possible “acute pyelonephritis or other renal diseases”. A second radiographic evaluation with computed tomography showed pancreatitis in the tail with abnormal fluid collected extending to the left peri-renal space. We performed a literature review and discussed this rare occurrence of acute pancreatitis. We also discussed the clinical pitfalls in this case.