Ursodeoxycholic acid's role in avoiding diversionary surgery in idiopathic fibrosing pancreatitis.
Obstructive jaundice in childhood is rare but a cause of great concern and warrants aggressive investigation into its aetiology. Idiopathic fibrosing pancreatitis (IFP) is a rare cause of this phenomenon and is presently a diagnosis of exclusion with lymphoma a main differential diagnosis. IFP appears to be a self limiting occurrence and as a result the previous gold standard of therapy of surgical diversion may ultimately be unnecessary. We describe ursodeoxycholic acid as a useful adjunct to treatment allowing more time for clinicians to evaluate the nature of the underlying disease process without hastily moving towards invasive surgery until clearly indicated.
Department of Gastroenterology, Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia. jeremy@rosenbaum.net
Jeremy
J
Rosenbaum
George
G
Alex
Tom
T
Clarnette
D002675:Child, Preschool; D002756:Cholagogues and Choleretics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002779:Cholestasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis; D006801:Humans; D041781:Jaundice, Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014739:Victoria
D002756:Cholagogues and Choleretics; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid