Management of pancreatic trauma in adult patients treated at the Hospital de Trauma “Prof. Dr. Manuel Giagni”, 2020–2024

Abstract

Introduction: Pancreatic trauma represents a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge due to its low incidence and nonspecific clinical presentation. Management depends on injury severity, the patient's hemodynamic stability, and the available resources at each center. Objective: To analyze the clinical and surgical management of pancreatic trauma in adult patients treated at the “Dr. Manuel Giagni” Trauma Hospital between 2020 and 2024. Materials and Methods: This was an observational, descriptive, longitudinal, retrospective cohort study. Ninety-three adult patients diagnosed with pancreatic trauma were included. Data were collected from clinical records through non-probability convenience sampling and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: Most patients were young adult males (72%) from urban areas. Traffic accidents were the most common trauma mechanism (41.9%). Pancreatic injuries were mainly located in the body (55.9%), with the liver (31.2%) and spleen (24.7%) being the most frequent associated injuries. Non-operative management was applied in 46.2% of cases. The most frequent complications were pancreatic fistula (40.9%), surgical site infection (21.5%), and sepsis (18.3%). Medical discharge occurred in 72% of patients; mortality reached 15%. Discussion: Findings align with international studies regarding demographics, etiology, and complications. Conservative management was prevalent, highlighting the importance of early diagnosis and multidisciplinary intervention. Variability in outcomes underscores the need for standardized treatment protocols.