Obstructive jaundice secondary to chronic pancreatitis in children: report of two cases and review of the literature.

Chronic pancreatitis is a rare childhood illness, most often presenting with nausea, vomiting, and recurrent abdominal pain. Obstructive jaundice secondary to biliary stricture is an uncommon manifestation of childhood pancreatitis, with only 11 patients previously described in the surgical literature. We report our experience with two additional children with jaundice secondary to pancreatitis and review the literature on this problem. Laboratory tests are often of little diagnostic value, and a high index of suspicion is essential for correct diagnosis. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography is emerging as an extremely useful diagnostic study in these patients. The surgical management of this uncommon pediatric illness remains controversial.