Summer danger: penetrating pancreatic injury from barbecue wire bristle.

Abstract

A 39-year-old man presented to the Emergency Department for the fourth time in 7 days complaining of nausea vomiting and non specific generalized abdominal pain He had no significant past medical history but did recall eating fish approximately 7 days prior to the onset of his symptoms On review he appeared dehydrated lethargic and had deranged liver function tests alanine transaminase 105 U L aspartate transaminase 85 U L bilirubin 38 mol L and a normal lipase level An ultrasound and abdominal X-ray were performed but failed to reveal any abnormality He was admitted overnight by the emergency admission unit and an abdominal computed tomography CT scan was performed due to persistent pain This showed a foreign object in the first part of the duodenum extending into the adjacent pancreatic neck Figs 1 2 Surgical consult was sought at this time and the patient was subsequently taken for a gastroscopy.