ORIGINAL ARTICLES   

Minerva Chirurgica 2001 October;56(5):475-82

Copyright © 2001 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: Italian

Personal experience in the endoscopic treatment of pancreatic pseudocysts. Long-term results and analysis of prognostic factors

De Palma G. D., Galloro G., Puzziello A., Masone S., Diamantis G., Persico G.

Background. The aim of this study was to assess the safety and utility of endoscopic treatment of pancreatic pseudocysts. Prognostic factors for the outcome of endoscopic drainage were assessed in a prospective analysis.
Methods. Forty-nine consecutive symptomatic patients were included in the study. Transmural drainage was used in 30 patients and transpapillary drainage in 19 patients.
Results. Successful drainage was achieved in 27/30 (90%) of patients after transmural drainage and in 16/19 (84.2%) patients after transpapillary drainage. Twelve (24.5%) patients had complications; 2 patients had bleeding, 2 had mild pancreatitis, 8 had cyst infection, in relation to the presence of necrosis (5 patients) or stent clogging (3 patients). Nine patients (20.9%) had recurrence of pseudocyst. Endoscopic drainage was a definitive treatment in 37 out of 49 (75.5%) patients (median follow-up: 25.9 months). Presence of necrosis was the only significant prognostic factor for infectious complication.
Conclusions. Endoscopic drainage provides a successful and safe minimally invasive approach to the management of pancreatic pseudocysts.