Valproate Causing Recurrent Acute Pancreatitis

Valproic acid is used either as monotherapy or in combination with other anticonvulsants for the treatment of simple, mixed and complex partial seizures, myoclonic seizure, generalised tonic- clonic seizure, acute manic episodes in bipolar disorder, and for prophylaxis of migraine headaches. The association of sodium valproate and pancreatitis is sometimes referred to as idiosyncratic as pancreatitis can develop after 1 week to 8 years of exposure to sodium valproate. We report a case of 39 year old male known case of seizure disorder presenting with recurrent episodes of epigatrium and right hypochondrium abdominal pain associated with vomiting over a period of 4 years. After excluding other causes of pancreatitis, a diagnosis of valproate induced necrotising pancreatitis was established.