Crohn disease-associated pancreatitis: is there a new extra-intestinal manifestation of the disease?

We report the case of a 23-year old woman suffering from Crohn's ileocolitis for 14 years who died of a prolonged shock followed by hyperglycaemia. The post-mortem examination showed an acute pancreatitis. There was no hint for Crohn's disease of the duodenum or primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). Unexplained Pancreatitis coincident with Crohn's disease might be a possible extraintestinal manifestation of the disease. However such association remains speculative at the moment. Further studies based on morphological, functional, immunological and epidemiological data are required. Review of the literature and our own data show the necessity to look attentive for other causes of acute pancreatitis associated with Crohn's disease (PSC, pancreas divisum, drug induced-pancreatitis).