Traumatic pancreatitis and pseudocyst in children: current management.

Twenty years ago, we reviewed the pediatric surgical experience with traumatic pancreatitis and pseudocysts at a large children's hospital. That series encompassed 13 years, during which time 23 cases were found. Six of these had pseudocysts, five of which were managed by external catheter drainage and one by excision. The present series spans 10 years and consists of nine cases of post-traumatic pediatric pancreatitis, seven of which progressed to pseudocysts. Four of these were externally drained, one was excised, and two resolved spontaneously. We have reviewed this recent experience in order to re-evaluate the efficacy of external drainage of pseudocysts in pediatric patients. We continue to believe that external drainage is the most effective method of therapy. Internal drainage is usually unnecessary unless the drainage from the ductal disruption does not resolve.