Pancreato-duodenectomy is a formidable operation for the critically injured patient. We describe a patient who sustained a stab wound to the stomach and duodenum. At operation this injury could not be reconstructed. A Whipple operation was performed in which the pancreatic stump was stapled and recovery was uneventful, although there was a low output fistula from the pancreatic stump. Limited indications for the Whipple procedure in trauma patients are suggested.