Radiology, Vol 167, 443-446, Copyright © 1988 by Radiological Society of North America

ARTICLES

Complicated pancreatic abscesses: problems in interventional management

E Steiner, PR Mueller, PF Hahn, S Saini, JF Simeone, J Wittenberg, AL Warshaw and JT Ferrucci Jr
Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston 02114.

Twenty-five patients with grade D or E pancreatitis underwent percutaneous drainage. These patients required multiple computed tomography (CT) examinations, multiple catheter insertions, multiple catheter manipulations, and long-term catheter drainage. Eight of the 25 patients were successfully treated with catheter drainage alone. Sixteen underwent surgical drainage, ten after attempts at percutaneous drainage and six prior to radiologic drainage. Of the ten patients who had initial percutaneous drainage, only four were clinically improved from the drainage procedure alone. Although the fluid component of the abscess was often adequately drained in all ten patients, surgery was required to remove pieces of necrotic debris. Six patients who underwent surgical debridement had residual abscesses in the post- operative period and were all successfully treated with percutaneous drainage. One patient died from unrelated causes. Successful interventional management of patients with pancreatic abscesses requires intensive radiologic intervention and monitoring and may be better served by a combination of radiologic and surgical means.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. E. Cinat, S. E. Wilson, and A. M. Din Determinants for Successful Percutaneous Image-Guided Drainage of Intra-abdominal Abscess Arch Surg, July 1, 2002; 137(7): 845 - 849. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]