Changing concepts in the surgical management of acute pancreatitis

Most episodes of acute pancreatitis are mild and self-limiting, but severe disease complicated by multiple system organ failure develops in up to 20% of cases. Early detection of those patients who subsequently develop necrotizing pancreatitis allows the start of supportive treatment in the intensive care unit before organ failure occurs. Conservative treatment in the intensive care unit, including the administration of intravenous antibiotics, is the gold standard. Surgery is indicated in patients with infected pancreatic necrosis but not in patients with sterile necrosis in the absence of deteriorating multi-organ failure despite maximal intensive care unit treatment, or other specific surgical complications. At our institution, out of 44 patients with necrotizing pancreatitis 29 (66%) had sterile necrosis and were managed conservatively while 15 (34%) had infected pancreatic necrosis and were treated by necrosectomy and continuous closed retroperitoneal lavage. There were two deaths resulting in an overall mortality of 5% in patients with severe acute pancreatitis.