A case of acute pancreatitis secondary to spinal cord injury

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a frequent and potentially life-threatening disease with high morbidity and mortality. The overall mortality of AP is approximately 5%. Alcohol consumption and gallstones are the main etiology of AP. Hypertriglyceridemia, idiosyncratic reactions to drugs, anatomic alterations and ascaris lumbricoides can also give rise to AP. Although spinal cord injury (SCI) can cause AP, however, the case of induced by cervical spine surgery has not been reported. A 61-year-old man with quadriplegic and respiratory distress received cervical spine surgery for spinal cervical spondylosis and multi-stage longitudinal ligament. He was admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) after tracheotomy for progressive dyspnea, one day after the cervical spine surgery. The patient was diagnosed with AP, in the absence of any identifiable causes of pancreatitis. He was treated with intravenous fluids, no oral feeding, enteral and parenteral nutrition, antibiotic and mechanical ventilation. The patient’s condition gradually improved after the treatment. This case describes a case of postoperative cervical spondylosis that led to AP. In this report, we highlight the importance of early diagnosis and subsequent appropriate treatment. We conclude that the outcome can be favorable, if the treatment is appropriate.