Giant pseudocyst of the pancreas: A report of three cases

P O Igwe; E Ray-Offor; E N Karibi; U F Okeke; O C Ugwa; N J Jebbin

doi:10.1016/j.ijscr.2020.10.110

Giant pseudocyst of the pancreas: A report of three cases

Int J Surg Case Rep. 2020:77:284-297. doi: 10.1016/j.ijscr.2020.10.110. Epub 2020 Nov 2.

Authors

P O Igwe¹, E Ray-Offor², E N Karibi³, U F Okeke⁴, O C Ugwa⁵, N J Jebbin²

Affiliations

¹ Colorectal and Minimal Access, General Surgery Unit, Department of Surgery, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. Electronic address: igwe_patrick@yahoo.com.
² Colorectal and Minimal Access, General Surgery Unit, Department of Surgery, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.
³ Paediatric Surgery Unit, Department of Surgery, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.
⁴ Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.
⁵ Anatomical Pathology Department, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.

Abstract

Background: A Pancreatic pseudocyst is usually a complication of pancreatitis but may follow abdominal trauma in children. Giant pseudocysts are rare and usually complicate chronic pancreatitis.

Aim: To report 3 cases of giant pseudocysts of the pancreas managed in our Centre within a three-month-period.

Case reports: Two female patients aged 22 years and 65 years respectively, and an 11-year-old boy presented with giant pancreatic pseudocysts (>10 cm in diameter each) to our unit and were successfully managed. They all underwent exploratory laparotomy and cysto-gastrostomy with good outcome.

Conclusion: Giant pseudocysts of pancreas may not be as rare as they were thought to be. They can be effectively managed by cysto-gastrostomy.

Keywords: Cysto-gastrostomy; Giant pseudocysts; Pancreas.