Biography
Biography: Vijay Kumar
Abstract
Chronic pancreatitis is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by fibrosis and destruction of exocrine pancreatic tissue. It is prevalent in many parts of the world with varying epidemiological profiles in different areas. There is a relatively high prevalence of such disorders in southern India. In most series, the etiologies are trauma, biliary tract distension are unknown. In majority of CP in children, medical therapy alone suffices and surgical intervention is reserved for complications. This study was conducted to establish the clinical profile of pancreatic disorders in pediatric patients ranging in age from 1 to 19 years in a tertiary care hospital in southern India. The records of the patients upto 19 years of age diagnosed to have pancreatitis at our institution for the last 12 years were reviewed with a proforma to record the following parameters: Age, gender, presenting complaints, examination findings, investigations, management with medical treatment, surgical intervention or both and complications.There were 50 patients ranging from age group 3 to 19 years, out of which 30 were males and 20 were females. 41 patients were between the ages of 11-19 years, 5 were between the age of 6-10 years, and 4 were between the ages of 1-5 years. 28 patients presented with acute on chronic pancreatitis and 22 patients had calcific chronic pancreatitis. The etiology of CP in 42 patients was idiopathic, in 4 was biliary tract disease, 2 were alcoholic, and 2 were congenital (pancreatic divisum). Complications like pseudo cyst was seen in 19 patients, ascites in 4, diabetes in 3, pleural effusion in 3, splenic thrombosis in one, acute necrotizing pancreatitis in one, retroperitoneal abscess in one and acute renal failure in one patient. Apart from medical line of management, 12 patients underwent stenting of pancreatic duct and 10 underwent surgical treatment for complications. Among the complications, acute relapses of chronic pancreatitis were the most common. 38% of the patients had pseudocysts, 44% had calcific pancreatitis, 6% developed diabetes, 8% had ascites, 6% had pleural effusion and there were 3 deaths due to sepsis.