Efficacy of damage control surgery and staged endoscopic pancreatic ductal double stenting therapy for severe pancreatic head injury: a case report

BACKGROUND: A high-grade pancreatic injury is a life-threatening injury that is associated with high mortality and morbidity. It is currently unclear which treatment strategy results in good clinical outcomes. CASE PRESENTATION: A 23-year-old Japanese woman sustained severe injury in a motor vehicle accident. Abdominal computed tomography revealed severe pancreatic head injury with extravasation of contrast media. Since it was not possible to insert an endoscopic pancreatic stenting tube into the main pancreatic duct, damage control surgery was performed. On day 3, we could insert the endoscopic pancreatic stenting tube from the ampulla of Vater and an endoscopic nasopancreatic drainage tube in the distal pancreatic duct from the accessory ampulla before the second operation. Drainage tubes were placed around the pancreatic head in the second operation. The endoscopic nasopancreatic drainage tube tube was converted to endoscopic pancreatic stenting tube on day 9. On day 51, the patient was discharged on foot from our hospital without serious complications. CONCLUSION: Early and effective hemostasis, staged pancreatic duct drainage with stenting, and surgical external drainage around the pancreas in combination with an endoscopic procedure and damage control surgery were considered appropriate therapeutic strategy for high-grade pancreatic injury.