Complete avulsion of the papilla of Vater and gastroduodenal artery due to blunt abdominal trauma: report of a case.

A case of traumatic avulsion of the papilla of Vater and gastroduodenal artery successfully treated by pancreaticoduodenectomy is presented herein. The mechanism of this rare injury appeared to be a shearing force applied to the common bile duct and gastroduodenal artery. Thus, when the liver is driven cephalad by compression of the abdomen and by the deceleration force, the common bile duct and gastroduodenal artery are avulsed from the fixed duodenum and pancreas. The mechanism of this rare injury is postulated on the basis of operative and histological findings. Our case is thought to be the first of traumatic avulsion of the papilla of Vater and gastroduodenal artery to be reported in Japan.