Authors:

Abstract

Acute pancreatitis following major spinal surgery is a rare potential complication. Several mechanisms such as positioning, intraoperative haemodynamic instability, mechanical compression and prolonged surgery can contribute to it. This should be suspected in a patient presenting with gastrointestinal symptoms, signs and raised serum amylase or lipase.Our case report is of a young patient with low BMI developing postoperative acute pancreatitis after single stage correction of right thoracic idiopathic scoliosis at National Hospital of Sri Lanka. Early identification of complications plays a key role in preventing severe morbidity after scoliosis surgery. When symptoms and signs are suggestive of abdominal complications, biochemical markers have to be analyzed for prompt diagnosis. Multidisciplinary approach and imaging are further steps in the differential diagnosis and management of this rare complication.

Keywords: Pancreatitis, Scoliosis, Prone position, Amylase, Low BMI, Postoperative complications