Acute pancreatitis as a severe complication of scoliosis surgery in pediatric patient: a case report and literature review

Acute pancreatitis (AP) in children is a rare but severe inflammatory disease of the pancreas. Unlike in adults, where alcohol consumption and gallstones are the most common causes, pediatric AP results from various factors such as abdominal trauma, infections, biliary tract disease, systemic disorders, genetic predisposition, and drug-induced injury, with many cases remaining idiopathic. Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is the most common form of pediatric scoliosis. Treatment options include physical therapy, bracing, and surgical correction in severe cases. A case of an adolescent patient with AIS who developed severe (AP) after scoliosis surgery was analyzed, alongside a review of the relevant literature. We report the case of a 14-year-old male with severe AIS and additional risk factors, including malnutrition and hypertension, who underwent transpedicular stabilization and spondylodesis from Th2 to L4. In the early postoperative period, he developed severe (AP) as a rare but serious complication. Conservative treatment involved withdrawal of oral feeding, initiation of parenteral nutrition, and subsequent transition to enteral feeding. Multidisciplinary management addressed associated liver abnormalities, gastrointestinal ulcerations, neurological findings, and persistent hypertension, leading to gradual clinical recovery.We present the case of an adolescent patient with (AIS) who developed severe (AP) as a complication of surgery. In addition, a review of the relevant literature is presented and discussed, demonstrating that multiple perioperative abnormalities associated with scoliosis surgery may represent significant risk factors for the development of AP and contribute to the occurrence of this complication.