[US or CT-guided percutaneous drainage of pancreatic pseudocyst]

Authors, after illustrating the pathogenesis of Pancreatic Pseudocysts (PPC) and classifying them into secondary to acute pancreatitis and arising in course of chronic pancreatitis, underline that the use of Ultrasound (US), CT-scan, Magnetic Resonance, Endoscopic Retrograde CholangioPancreatography and, above all, percutaneous drainage of the cysts has modified the therapeutic approach to this pathology. They describe indications and technique of US or CT-guided percutaneous drainage, and report their experience about 12 cases of PPC secondary to acute pancreatitis and 4 of PPC arising during chronic pancreatitis. They analyze the limits of this technique (risk of infections, recurrences, fistulas), and conclude that Percutaneous Drainage of Pancreatic Pseudocysts is a useful therapeutic approach in the treatment of PPC secondary to acute pancreatitis, while its use is complementary to surgery in the treatment of PPC due to chronic pancreatitis.