Surgical management of pancreatic pseudocyst

Pancreatic pseudocysts were once considered to be an unusual complication of acute chronic and traumatic pancreatitis.

This work was made in order to study the results of the operative methods in 24 patients with acute chronic and traumatic pancreatic pseudocysts, treated by external or internal drainage during the years 1990-1995 at the Athens Red Cross Hospital and compare these results with those of international literature. Pain was the common symptom for all patients. Gallstones were the most important aetiological agent in thirteen of the 24 patients, while alcoholic pancreatitis was diagnosed in only 6 of them. Fifteen patients (62.5%) were treated by surgical drainage or resection and 9 patients (37.5%) were treated by observation, one by percutaneous and one by endoscopic drainage. The rest had small cysts (less than 5 cm) and were treated by observation.

The most frequent complication of internal cyst drainage was upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage. The rate of mortality was 7%.

Anatomical considerations dictate the choice of operation. Cystogastrostomy, for example is inappropriate unless the stomach is closely applied to the front of the cyst. We preferred cystojejunostomy Rouen-y because the Roux loop can be anastomosed to the lower part of the cyst. Cystoduodenostomy should be reserved for pseudocyst in the head of the pancreas. Resection is an alternative to internal drainage for chronic pseudocyst of moderate proportions, for those that have largely replaced a portion of the pancreas.