Revisiting Isolated Blunt Pancreatic Trauma; Five-year Surgical Experience in a Tertiary Trauma Centre

INTRODUCTION: In contrast to penetrating trauma, blunt pancreatic trauma poses numerous challenges for treating surgeons, mainly due to the different clinical manifestations. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the surgical outcomes of consecutive blunt pancreatic trauma patients and to describe the challenges faced. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This is a retrospective observational study of all blunt pancreatic traumas admitted between July 2018 and June 2024. Data analysed include demographic profiles, types of injury, duration of injury, types of treatment, transfusion requirements, need for mechanical ventilation, complications, and mortality. RESULTS: Thirty-eight patients with blunt pancreatic injuries were studied, 73.6% of whom were male. The average age at presentation was 29 years (range: 22–42 years). The most common cause of trauma in 74% of patients was a traffic accident. Head injury was the most common associated extra-abdominal injury seen in 41% patients. The requirement for blood transfusion was found in 38.4% of patients. There was a significant correlation between mortality and the degree of injury, ventilator requirements, and blood transfusions (p-value 0.02). CONCLUSION: Complex pancreatic trauma (grade IV, V) always requires surgical treatment, while (grade I, II) can be treated non-surgically. The presence of concomitant injuries plays a crucial role in the final outcome. Therefore, all patients who have sustained a blunt injury to the pancreas should be fully and rapidly investigated, regardless of severity, as a delay in diagnosis leads to higher morbidity and mortality.