PANCREATITIS ASSOCIATED WITH REMOTE TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY IN CHILDREN

Vomitting, abdominal distension, and feeding intolerance are common fi ndings following brain injury in children, and are usually attributed to the brain injury or to delayed gastric emptying: a specific cause i s usually not sought. We report six children who developed mild to mod erate pancreatitis at least 7 days following apparently isolated brain injury, a previously unreported association. Five of the six patients received drugs that are known or suspected pancreatotoxins; all recov ered without changes in the medications. When children develop feeding intolerance or upper gastrointestinal symptoms following traumatic br ain injury, pancreatitis should be suspected.