Pancreatic pseudocysts in Nigerian children

RESUMO

Pancreatic pseudocyst is uncommon in childhood and there is a paucity of literature on its occurrence in Nigeria. This was a retrospective study to highlight the clinical presentation and outcome of management of pancreatic pseudocyst in childhood. Twelve patients were managed in 6 years in 3 hospitals in north-central; Nigeria. There were seven girls and five boys. The median age at presentation was 5.8 years. The patients presented usually with abdominal pain; abdominal mass and fever. There was definite history of trauma in only two patients. Abdominal utrasonography suggested the diagnosis in 10 of the 11 patients examined. Non operative management with ultrasound monitoring was successful in one patient. The others had surgical internal drainage. The procedures performed were cystgastrostomy (7 patients); cystjejunostomy (3 patients) and cyst duodenostomy in one patient. The post-operative period was uneventful in all patients. There was no mortality recorded. The median duration of hospital stay was 8 days. There was no recurrence in three patients available for long term follow up. Pancreatic pseudocyst should be included in the differential diagnosis of abdominal masses in childhood. As is evidenced in this series the prognosis in childhood following prompt surgical intervention is good