Role of Pancreatic Divisum in Pediatric Pancreatitis: A Retrospective Observational Study.

AIM: The aim of the study was to evaluate the role of pancreatic divisum (PD) in children with pancreatitis.

METHODS

A retrospective observational study was conducted at a pediatric surgery tertiary center which included children aged <18 years who presented with pancreatitis between January 2013 and June 2024. The children with pancreatitis having PD (PD pancreatitis group) were compared to the children with pancreatitis not having PD (non-PD pancreatitis group).

RESULTS

A total of 275 children with pancreatitis were included in the study and 15 (5.5%) of them had PD. Type 1 (Classical) PD was seen in 11 (69%) of the children and nine (60%) children presented with acute recurrent pancreatitis (ARP). The children with PD pancreatitis presented at a younger age (9.8 ± 4.3 years vs. 12.2 ± 3.7 years; P = 0.02; independent sample t-test) and tend to have a significantly higher incidence of ARP (9 [60%] vs. 58 [22%]; P < 0.001; Chi-square test) compared to the children with non-PD pancreatitis.

CONCLUSION

Children with PD present at a younger age with pancreatitis and are at increased risk of developing ARP. This suggests that PD is an independent etiology for developing pancreatitis in children.