Operative versus non-operative management of blunt pancreatic trauma in children: systematic review and meta-analysis.

ABSTRACT AIM . Blunt abdominal trauma is the major cause of abdominal injury in children. No clear guidelines exist for the initial management of blunt pancreatic trauma in children. The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of initially non-operative versus initially operative treatment in children with blunt pancreatic injury. METHODS Studies including children ( RESULTS . There was no difference in mortality between NOM and OM groups. The incidence of pseudocysts was significantly higher in NOM group compared to OM (P CONCLUSIONS . Most patients with pancreatic trauma can initially be treated non-operatively, while early surgical treatment may benefit patients with lesions of the main pancreatic duct. ERCP offers both highly accurate diagnosis and potential treatment of ductal injuries.