Pancreatic injuries

The pancreas is a relatively uncommon organ to be injured in blunt trauma (0.4%) and often pancreatic lesions are associated with other abdominal organ injuries. Pancreatic lesions especially in adults occur in the event of high energy traumas as car accident, pedestrian injury, or other. In the pediatric patient, the lower thickness of the muscular wall exposes the pancreatic gland even in the case of low energy traumas such as “bicycle handlebars” lesion. The clinical diagnosis of pancreatic trauma can be difficult, due the poverty of specific symptoms and of laboratory data, especially in the first few hours after the event when the symptoms of damage to other organs can be overwhelming. The delay in diagnosis can be caused by late complications and for this reason it is important to carry out an accurate assessment of the pancreatic parenchyma and the integrity of its duct. Diagnostic imaging utilizes the following study methods depending on the severity of the trauma and eventually for the follow-up: US-CEUS, CT, cholangio-MRI, Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio-Pancreatography (ERCP).