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Peer-reviewedCC BY-NCJournal of Brown hospital medicine

Acute Pancreatitis and Severe Gastric Dilation After Suspected Scorpion Envenomation: A Case Report

  • Hailubeza Argaw1
  • Winston Ugbajah1
  • Emanuel Gbadehan2
  • Swathi Gorle1
  • Cyril Anara1
  • Raghavendra Barremkala1
  • Ruth Abebe1
  • Parth Adrejiya1
  1. 1Department of Internal Medicine WellStar Health System
  2. 2Division of Gastroenterology WellStar Health System
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Abstract

Scorpion envenomation is an uncommon cause of acute pancreatitis in the United States, with systemic manifestations more commonly reported with medically significant scorpion species. A 26-year-old non-verbal man with autism presented with three days of abdominal pain, posturing, drooling, vomiting, and visible distress after suspected household scorpion exposure in Georgia. Laboratory testing revealed leukocytosis with markedly elevated lipase and amylase. CT showed acute pancreatitis with severe gastric and duodenal dilation without mechanical obstruction. Follow-up imaging demonstrated resolution of gastric distension but persistent pancreatitis-related inflammation. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed retained gastric contents consistent with gastroparesis, without pyloric stenosis or gastric outlet obstruction. Common etiologies were not supported by the available evaluation. The patient improved with supportive management, including bowel rest, intravenous fluids, gastric decompression, analgesia, electrolyte correction, cautious advancement of diet, and metoclopramide. This case highlights suspected scorpion envenomation as a rare possible trigger of acute pancreatitis with severe gastric dilation and gastroparesis.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{argaw2026acute,
  title = {{Acute Pancreatitis and Severe Gastric Dilation After Suspected Scorpion Envenomation: A Case Report}},
  author = {Hailubeza Argaw and Winston Ugbajah and Emanuel Gbadehan and Swathi Gorle and Cyril Anara and Raghavendra Barremkala and Ruth Abebe and Parth Adrejiya},
  journal = {Journal of Brown hospital medicine},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.56305/001c.168186},
  url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13730623},
  note = {CC BY-NC},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Acute Pancreatitis and Severe Gastric Dilation After Suspected Scorpion Envenomation: A Case Report
AU  - Hailubeza Argaw
AU  - Winston Ugbajah
AU  - Emanuel Gbadehan
AU  - Swathi Gorle
AU  - Cyril Anara
AU  - Raghavendra Barremkala
AU  - Ruth Abebe
AU  - Parth Adrejiya
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/01
JO  - Journal of Brown hospital medicine
DO  - 10.56305/001c.168186
UR  - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13730623
AB  - Scorpion envenomation is an uncommon cause of acute pancreatitis in the United States, with systemic manifestations more commonly reported with medically significant scorpion species. A 26-year-old non-verbal man with autism presented with three days of abdominal pain, posturing, drooling, vomiting, and visible distress after suspected household scorpion exposure in Georgia. Laboratory testing revealed leukocytosis with markedly elevated lipase and amylase. CT showed acute pancreatitis with severe gastric and duodenal dilation without mechanical obstruction. Follow-up imaging demonstrated resolution of gastric distension but persistent pancreatitis-related inflammation. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed retained gastric contents consistent with gastroparesis, without pyloric stenosis or gastric outlet obstruction. Common etiologies were not supported by the available evaluation. The patient improved with supportive management, including bowel rest, intravenous fluids, gastric decompression, analgesia, electrolyte correction, cautious advancement of diet, and metoclopramide. This case highlights suspected scorpion envenomation as a rare possible trigger of acute pancreatitis with severe gastric dilation and gastroparesis.
SN  - 2994-5593
ER  -