E41 Pancreatic Pseudocyst

Abstract

Acute pancreatitis is uncommon in children, and its causes can be divided along medical and surgical lines. The commonest causes in the former category are related to drugs (typically chemotherapy for leukaemia) and viral infections. Among the latter group are trauma (typically related to boys and bicycle handlebars), choledochal malformations because of the common pancreatobiliary channel and pancreas divisum.

In the early stages of the disease, amylase-rich fluid may be exuded from the inflamed pancreas, but tends not to be confined and is panperitoneal. In the later stages, beyond 4 weeks or so, these acute fluid collections evolve into the classic pseudocyst. The sites most common for these are the lesser sac and within the leaves of the mesocolon.