Management of Pancreatic Trauma in Damage-Control Laparotomy
Gad Shaked, Mario Golocovsky
Dept. of Surgery and Trauma Service, Soroka University Hospital, Beer Sheba and Dept. of Surgery and Trauma Service, Washington Hospital Center, Washington DC
Major pancreatic trauma challenges the trauma surgeon with diagnostic problems and choices of treatment modalities. The most important determinant guiding management is the integrity of the main pancreatic duct. The preoperative and intraoperative assessment and treatment of pancreatic injury may be difficult, especially when concurrent severe injuries are present. There are alternative approaches in the management of the traumatized pancreas when ductal injury is not obvious during initial exploratory laparotomy.