[Posttraumatic pancreatic fistula: successful endoscopic stent placement].

Introduction: The risk of complications and the severity of pancreatic trauma depend on the status of the main pancreatic duct. Endoscopic retrograde pancreatography (ERCP) has emerged as the technique of reference for assessing pancreatic ductal anatomy, and it also permits therapeutic intervention by the endoscopic placement of an endoprosthesis.
Case: We report a pancreatic fistula attributable to posttraumatic rupture of the main duct, undiagnosed before ERCP and successfully treated by endoscopic stent placement.
Discussion: ERCP has emerged as a tool for both diagnosis and treatment. Major traumatic pancreatic duct disruptions can be diagnosed more easily and managed successfully by endoscopic stent placement, thereby avoiding surgical morbidity. ERCP is impractical in emergency settings for many reasons. Magnetic resonance pancreatography may be useful for establishing the type and extent of pancreatic lesions and for selecting patients for endoscopic treatment.