Traumatic pancreatitis with peripheral fat necrosis.

Direct damage to the pancreas occurs in about 5% of closed abdominal injuries, many of which arise from major accidents. The fixed retro-peritoneal site of the pancreas makes it particularly vulnerable to trauma by the steering column in cars not being constructed to modern safety requirements. As these injuries become more common, and as the number of survivors of such trauma increases, the longer term complications of trauma to the pancreas will become more common. A case is described demonstrating some of these complications arising from peripheral fat necrosis.