Simultaneous treatment of chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic pseudocyst

Records from 87 consecutive patients undergoing lateral pancreaticojejunostomy (LPJ) for chronic pancreatitis were reviewed to determine the incidence of pseudocyst and the safety of combined pancreatic duct and pseudocyst drainage. Twelve patients had undergone previous pancreatic pseudocyst drainage; four of them also had pancreatic pseudocysts present at the time of LPJ. In addition, 22 patients had pseudocysts identified preoperatively and/or confirmed at operation. The overall incidence of pseudocyst was 39%. Twenty-six patients (group 1) underwent pancreaticojejunostomy combined with pseudocyst drainage. Sixty-one patients (group 2) underwent pancreaticojejunostomy only. Operative morbidity and mortality results (19% and 8%, respectively, in group 1; 18% and 2%, respectively, in group 2) were similar. Patient outcome was also similar in the two groups (81% and 84% of patients obtained pain relief in groups 1 and 2, respectively). There were no pseudocyst recurrences in either group. Thus, there is a high incidence (39%) of pancreatic pseudocyst in patients undergoing LPJ for chronic pancreatitis. Combined drainage of the pancreatic duct and pseudocyst is safe and effective.     

Familial chronic pancreatitis associated with pancreatic lithiasis

Three members of one family who had pancreatic lithiasis are reported on. Pancreatic lithiasis in each patient was confirmed at operation and was favorably treated by side to side pancreaticojejunostomy. The symptoms and the histologic features of the pancreas in these patients were similar to those of the usual form of chronic pancreatitis, but the mechanism of occurrence of the disease on a familial basis could not be identified.     

Mucinous cystadenoma of the pancreas associated with acute pancreatitis and concurrent pancreatic pseudocyst

We report an unusual occurrence of a recurrent pancreatic pseudocyst caused by an underlying mucinous cystadenoma of the distal pancreas. A 54-year old female was admitted for acute pancreatitis. Her only risk factors included the use of hydrochlorothiazide and two or three glasses of wine daily. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) done a week after onset of her symptoms showed a 5-cm cystic lesion in the tail of the pancreas suspected to be a pseudocyst. Her symptoms subsequently resolved. One month later, she had another episode of pancreatitis and an abdominal CT showed an 11 x 16 cm pseudocyst along with the previously mentioned cystic lesion. Approximately 6 weeks after her initial presentation, she was taken to the operating room for an exploratory laparotomy and cyst gastrostomy for a symptomatic pseudocyst. An intraoperative frozen section of the cyst wall showed a fibrous wall with acute and chronic inflammation without an epithelial lining. Six weeks after her cyst gastrostomy, she returned with abdominal pain, early satiety, and anorexia. Abdominal CT showed reaccumulation of fluid within the pseudocyst and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) revealed a normal caliber pancreatic duct with an abrupt cutoff at the distal duct. She underwent exploratory laparotomy with drainage of 3 L of fluid from the pancreatic pseudocyst. After gaining access to the lesser sac, a 6-cm cystic lesion was identified in the tail of the pancreas. She underwent a distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy. The intraoperative and final pathology confirmed the presence of a benign mucinous cystadenoma. The patient had an uneventful recovery, began to tolerate oral intake, and was discharged 7 days after surgery. The differentiation between a pancreatic pseudocyst and benign cystic neoplasms of the pancreas is crucial to determine treatment options. Cystic neoplasms of the pancreas, whether mucinous or serous, have the potential to harbor malignancy, and resection is recommended.     

Preoperative endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in patients with pancreatic pseudocyst associated with resolving acute and chronic pancreatitis.

Experience with patients with pancreatic pseudocysts has led the authors to the hypothesis that preoperative evaluation of the pancreatic and bile ducts by ERCP will define those patients who may be inadequately treated by pseudocyst drainage alone without attention to associated pancreatic and biliary ductal abnormalities. In patients with certain ductal abnormalities, the pseudocyst operation was combined with a definitive operative drainage of the pancreatic duct and/or of the biliary tree where appropriate. A prospective evaluation of routine preoperative ERCP was undertaken over a 36-month period in all patients scheduled for operative treatment of pseudocyst of the pancreas. From an initial group of 44 patients with pseudocysts, three patients who had spontaneous regression of the pseudocyst were excluded. ERCP was successful in 39 of the remaining 41 patients. Among 41 operated patients, 24 were admitted with a diagnosis of pseudocyst that arose after an episode of acute pancreatitis, and 17 had chronic pancreatitis with pseudocyst. Nine patients, initially assumed to have acute pancreatitis, were recognized to have chronic pancreatitis on the basis of ERCP findings. Communication with the main pancreatic duct (MPD) was demonstrated in 18 of 41 pseudocysts, and the rate of communication was similar in patients with acute and chronic pancreatitis. Dilatation of the MPD was seen in 23 of 41 patients and was associated with chronic pancreatitis in 21. Dilatation of the common bile duct was found in 12 patients with chronic pancreatitis. The operative plan was altered by ERCP findings in 24 of 41 patients; 22 of the 24 patients had chronic pancreatitis. There were no complications of ERCP. These data suggest that ERCP should be performed in all patients with pseudocysts to establish correct diagnosis and to allow optimal choice of operation.     

Surgical treatment of chronic pancreatitis with ductal hypertension complicated by posterior pancreatic pseudocyst

The experience was summarized concerning the treatment of 5 patients with chronic pancreatitis and ductal hypertension, complicated by retropancreatic pseudocyst. One-stage internal draining of pseudocyst and the pancreatic duct, using the method elaborated in the clinic, was performed. There were no postoperative complications. Late follow-up result is good.     

Jaundice and chronic pancreatitis: common bile duct compression by pancreatic pseudocyst

In chronic pancreatitis, obstructive jaundice solely due to common bile duct compression by a pancreatic pseudocyst is highly unusual. In most of these cases, the jaundice is due to fibrotic stricture of the intrapancreatic portion of the common bile duct. We report two cases of obstructive jaundice in chronic pancreatitis with pseudocyst. Operative findings and follow-up during the postoperative period demonstrated compression by the pseudocyst over the common bile duct as the only etiologic factor of the jaundice. We believe that intraoperative cholangiography should be performed after drainage of a pseudocyst to correctly assess the etiology of obstruction.     

Major gastrointestinal hemorrhage associated with pancreatic pseudocyst

Although the pancreas is not a frequent source of major gastrointestinal hemorrhage, bleeding in patients with pancreatitis is not an uncommon complication. In patients with bleeding who are known to have pancreatitis or a pseudocyst, this organ must be considered a possible site of hemorrhage.It is recommended that celiac axis and superior mesenteric artery angiography be performed prior to barium contrast studies.If bleeding is originating from a pancreatic pseudocyst, aggressive surgical intervention should be undertaken. Three cases are described in which prompt operation was successful.Intracystic suture-ligation of the bleeding vessel together with cystogastrostomy was performed in two cases. One case of bleeding from a pseudocyst in the head of the pancreas and involving the gastroduodenal artery was treated by excision of the cyst and head of the pancreas.     

Pancreatic tail pseudocyst associated with spontaneous resolution of intrasplenic pancreatic pseudocyst

A 27-year-old man, an alcohol abuser, had alcoholic pancreatitis complicated by a 3.2 cm pancreatic tail speudocyst and intrasplenic pseudocysts presenting with left upper quadrant pain of one-month duration. Surgical resection or percutaneous drainage of the cystic lesions of the pancreas and the spleen was refused. Analgesic agents were given for relief of abdominal pain. Three months later, another episode of alcoholic pancreatitis occurred. A computed axial tomographic scans of the abdomen showed diffuse enlargement of the pancreas with a 3.0-cm pseudocyst in the pancreatic tail, but there was no evidence of previous intrasplenic pseudocysts. The patient was treated conservatively and was discharged on the 7th hospital day. There was no recurrence of abdominal pain after 3 months follow-up.     

慢性胰腺炎伴胰管结石外科治疗体会

目的 探讨慢性胰腺炎伴胰管结石外科治疗的术式选择.方法 对1991年6月至2006年6月收治的17例慢性胰腺炎伴胰管结石手术治疗的患者进行回顾性分析,总结不同类型的胰管结石的手术方式及结果.结果 本组17例中胰头部胰管结石13例,胰体尾部胰管结石4例,合并胆石症6例,其中6例行胰管切开取石胰管空肠吻合术(Partington法);4例行胰管胃吻合术(Warren法);3例行保留十二指肠胰头次全切除术(Beger法);3例行胰尾切除胰腺空肠吻合术(Duval法);1例行胰尾、脾切除胰腺空肠吻合术.17例临床治愈,其中上腹部顽固性疼痛完全缓解15例,血糖控制2例,胰漏2例,1例术后11个月死于胰腺癌.结论 针对慢性胰腺炎合并胰管结石患者的不同状况采取的手术方式应高度个体化,有主胰管扩张者采取引流术,无胰管扩张及局部胰腺病变者采取胰腺部分切除联合内引流术,同时注意尽量保存胰腺组织功能,可明显改善患者生活质量.     

A new method for pseudocysto-duodenostomy as therapy in pancreatic pseudocyst in chronic pancreatitis

Reference in the surgical literature to the use of pseudocysto-duodenostomy whether laterolateral by Ombredanne [6] or transduodenal by Kerschner [4], is uncommon. The author with the aid of specially designed three-jaw prong, now, prefer to use pseudocysto-duodenostomy. From 1970, 411 patients underwent surgery for complicated chronic pancreatitis. 67 of the 93 patients requiring an internal cysto-intestinal procedure were treated by pseudocysto-duodenostomy; 11 additional patients were treated by derivation in the first retroperitoneal transposed jejunal loop. Postoperative mortality for the first month was 0%. The actuarial survival rate at 5 years was 86.9%. These satisfactory results have encouraged us to compare this new operative method with cystojejunostomy. It allows pancreatic secretions to drain into their natural anatomical site. Compared with external drainage it avoids the often prolonged and costly complications.     

Percutaneous cystogastrostomy for chronic pancreatic pseudocyst

During the years 1984–1992, 74 patients of mean age 45 (range 6–71) years with chronic pancreatic pseudocyst were treated by percutaneous cystogastrostomy. They comprised 45 men and 29 women. A diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis was verified in 55 patients (74 per cent); pain was the indication for treatment in all cases. The catheter was successfully placed at the first attempt in 68 patients (92 per cent). Immediate complications occurred in four patients (5 per cent); there have been none since 1986. Abscess formation was seen in eight patients (11 per cent). One patient died 4 days after the procedure from myocardial infarction giving a mortality rate of 1 per cent; no death has occurred since 1986. The mean observation time was 27 (range 0–108) months. Pain disappeared or decreased in almost 90 per cent of patients and weight gain was seen in 80 per cent. The method described is less traumatic than operation, and mortality and complication rates compare favourably with those seen after surgery; the results are at least as good.     

A pancreatic pseudocyst associated with three simultaneous hemorragic complications

The onset of secondary hemorrhagic complications with the development of pancreatic pseudocysts is rare but has a high mortality rate. Management of the hemorrhagic complications of pancreatic pseudocysts is surgical despite the contribution of arterial embolization. We report the observation of a 59-year-old patient who had presented an episode of acute pancreatitis 1 month before consulting for abdominal pain associated with an episode of melena. The CT showed a pancreatic pseudocyst complicated by an intracystic tear, a splenic artery aneurysm in the Wirsung canal, and rupture of the spleen. These three lesions were treated simultaneously with left splenopancreatectomy starting with the splenic vessels. The simultaneous onset of three hemorrhagic complications of a pseudocyst is exceptional and has never been described to our knowledge.     

Duct drainage alone is sufficient in the operative management of pancreatic pseudocyst in patients with chronic pancreatitis

OBJECTIVE: To test a hypothesis that definitive management of pseudocyst associated with chronic pancreatitis is predicated on addressing pancreatic ductal anatomy. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: The authors have previously confirmed the impact of pancreatic ductal anatomic abnormalities on the success of percutaneous drainage of pancreatic pseudocyst. The authors have further defined a system to categorize the pancreatic ductal abnormalities that can be seen with pancreatic pseudocyst. The authors have published, as have others, the usefulness of defining ductal anatomy when managing pancreatic pseudocysts associated with chronic pancreatitis. METHODS: Beginning in 1985, all patients with pseudocyst who were candidates for intervention (operative, percutaneous, or endoscopic) have undergone endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). An associated diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis was established by means of ERCP findings. Patients were candidates for longitudinal pancreaticojejunostomy (LPJ) if they had a pancreatic ductal diameter greater than 7 mm. In a nonrandomized fashion, patients were managed with either combined simultaneous LPJ and pseudocyst drainage or with LPJ alone. RESULTS: Two hundred fifty-three patients with pseudocyst have been evaluated. Among these there have been 103 patients with chronic pancreatitis and main pancreatic duct (MPD) dilatation (>7 mm). Among these 103 patients, 56 underwent combined LPJ/pseudocyst drainage and 47 had LPJ alone. Compared to combined LPJ/pseudocyst drainage, the patients undergoing LPJ alone had a shorter operative time, slightly less transfusion requirement, slightly reduced length of hospital stay, and slightly reduced complication rate. Long-term pain relief was achieved in 90%, and pseudocyst recurrence was less than 1%. Rates of each of these long-term outcomes were nearly incidental among the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Ductal drainage alone (LPJ) is sufficient in patients with chronic pancreatitis (MPD > 7 mm) and an associated pseudocyst. Simultaneous drainage of pseudocyst is not necessary.     

Duodenal "diverticulization" for massive haemorrhage from pancreatic pseudocyst.

A case of massive haemorrhage into the gastrointestinal tract from a pancreatic pseudocyst is presented. The pseudocyst was a complication of acute pancreatitis, and control of the haemorrhage by operation was difficult because of the friability of the cyst wall. The surgical procedure called duodenal diverticulization is described and was found to be a useful adjunct to suture ligation for bleeding which was almost uncontrollable and when death of the patient seemed inevitable.     

重症急性胰腺炎继发胰腺假性囊肿的诊治体会

为探讨急性重症胰腺炎（SAP）继发假性囊肿的诊断和治疗方法。笔者回顾性分析10年间收治的SAP继发胰腺假性囊肿38例的临床资料。囊肿直径6～29cm。内科非手术治疗22例，治愈好转18例(81.8％)。外科手术治疗16例，治愈好转12例(75.0％)。提示：对胰腺假性囊肿可先采用非手术治疗，无效者可行手术治疗。外科手术是有效的治疗方法，应严格掌握治疗指征。     

Acute pancreatitis and pancreatic fistula formation

The cause, management and outcome of 23 patients with a pancreatic fistula following acute pancreatitis are reviewed. Nineteen patients developed an external fistula following necrosectomy or drainage of a pancreatic abscess or pseudocyst; four of these patients died. In the 15 survivors spontaneous closure occurred in 11 cases with low output fistulae; operative intervention was needed in the four cases with high output fistulae. Four patients with internal fistulae had not undergone previous surgery; two of them had a pancreaticopleural fistula with associated pancreaticogastric fistulae, while two had pancreatic ascites. All four of these patients required surgical intervention and one died.