Acute Pancreatitis: A Rare Complication of Colonoscopy.

Cureus

Critical Care, Allegheny Health Network, Pittsburgh, USA.

Published: February 2022

AI Article Synopsis

  • Colonoscopy is generally safe but can lead to complications, with abdominal pain being the most common and acute pancreatitis being rare.
  • A case study of a 51-year-old woman revealed she developed acute pancreatitis two hours after her colonoscopy, initially presenting with melena.
  • The patient received conservative treatment, including bowel rest and fluids, with her symptoms resolving within days; it's important for patients to be aware of this potential complication prior to the procedure.

Article Abstract

Colonoscopy is a well-tolerated therapeutic and diagnostic procedure. Although colonoscopy is relatively safe, a few complications have been reported. Abdominal pain after colonoscopy is one of the most reported symptoms, and acute pancreatitis is uncommon after colonoscopy. We present a case of acute pancreatitis in a 51-year-old female who presented with a complaint of melena. She underwent colonoscopy to rule out lower gastrointestinal pathology and developed sudden onset diffuse abdominal pain and vomiting two hours after the procedure. She was diagnosed with colonoscopy-induced acute pancreatitis based on physical examination and detailed investigations after ruling out all other potential causes. She was treated conservatively with bowel rest, intravenous fluids, analgesic, and prophylactic antibiotics. Abdominal symptoms improved quickly in a few days with complete resolution of abdominal pain, fever, and normalization of serum amylase and lipase. Early recognition and diagnosis can lead to successful treatment, and the patients should be informed about the possibility of this complication before undergoing colonoscopy.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8918301PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.7759/cureus.22128DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

acute pancreatitis
16
abdominal pain
12
colonoscopy
7
acute
4
pancreatitis rare
4
rare complication
4
complication colonoscopy
4
colonoscopy colonoscopy
4
colonoscopy well-tolerated
4
well-tolerated therapeutic
4

Similar Publications

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!