Pseudopancreatitis

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Pseudopancreatitis refers to the presence of fluid in or around the pancreas in the setting of trauma but in the absence of direct signs of traumatic pancreatic injury. Most patients will have a normal serum lipase level, but amylase has a limited sensitivity and specificity for pancreatic trauma .

It is thought to be secondary to aggressive fluid resuscitation of hypovolemic shock following potential trauma-related pancreatic ischemia , particularly when the time between the injury and cross-sectional imaging is prolonged . Hence it is associated with other signs of resuscitation of hypotension namely periportal edema, a dilated inferior vena cava and small bowel edema.

Differential diagnosis