Crohn's disease presenting with acute pancreatitis

Crohn's disease is often accompanied by extraintestinal inflammation. Acute pancreatitis can be a rare manifestation of Crohn's disease. The present report describes a patient who developed two episodes of pancreatitis before the diagnosis of Crohn's disease. Clinical and laboratory evaluation excluded other causes of pancreatitis, confirming a direct association of the pancreatitis with Crohn's disease. This case report supports the hypothesis that acute pancreatitis may precede the clinical manifestations and diagnosis of the underlying inflammatory bowel disease.