title: Pancreatic laceration in a female collegiate soccer athlete: a case report.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To characterize the diagnosis of pancreatic trauma in an athletic population and to raise awareness among health care providers of the possibility of this life- and organ-threatening injury.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  An 18-year-old, previously healthy female collegiate soccer athlete sustained a direct blow from an opponent's knee between the left and right upper abdominal quadrants while attempting to head the ball. She initially presented with only minimal nausea and discomfort, but this progressed to abdominal pain, tenderness, spasm, and vomiting. She was referred to the emergency department, where she was diagnosed with a pancreatic laceration.
  
  
  METHODS
  Duodenal, hepatic, or splenic contusion or laceration; hemorrhagic ovarian cyst.
  
  
  METHODS
  The patient underwent a distal pancreatectomy and total splenectomy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pancreatic injuries, particularly those severe enough to warrant surgical intervention, are extremely rare in athletes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Recognition of a pancreatic injury can be very challenging outside the hospital setting. This is problematic, because a delay in diagnosis is a significant source of preventable morbidity and mortality after this rare injury. Thus, early identification depends on a high index of suspicion, a thorough examination, and close observation. It is imperative that athletic trainers and other health care professionals be able to identify this condition so that referral and management can occur without delay.
authors.affiliation: School of Science, Marist College, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601, USA. Michael.Powers@marist.edu
authors.forename: Michael E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Powers
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tropeano
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Priestman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D049448:Cholangiopancreatography, Magnetic Resonance; D003287:Contrast Media; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D022125:Lacerations / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D010179:Pancreas / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery*; D010180:Pancreatectomy; D012916:Soccer / Q000293:injuries*; D013156:Splenectomy; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media