Pancreatitis after open heart surgery in children.

Between January 1981 and March 1986, we found 54 children with abnormal serum amylase values or clinical pancreatitis after open heart surgery. Of these 33, had increased serum amylase values only, and 19 had increased serum amylase values in conjunction with clinical pancreatitis. Two patients had haemorrhagic pancreatitis identified at autopsy. The mortality was 42.9% (9/21) in patients with pancreatitis compared to 9.1% (3/33) with amylasaemia only. Pancreatitis is a serious complication after complex open heart surgery in children. The aetiology is probably of vascular origin, and routine serum amylase screening is recommended.