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Updated: Aug 25, 2026

Retroperitoneal Laparoscopic Debridement and Drainage for Pancreatic Abscess
Published on: March 15, 2024
Pneumoretroperitoneum in two patients with Clostridium perfringens necrotizing pancreatitis
Chris M Anderson1, Jeffrey D Kerby, William B Perry
1Department of Surgery, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, USA.
Abstract:
Pancreatic gas gangrene is an uncommon and often fatal complication of acute pancreatitis, due to the sporulating anaerobe Clostridium perfringens. C. perfringens is a normal constituent of colonic flora, but infects the pancreas by either transmural spread from the colon or via the biliary tree. Only three reported cases in the world literature describe acute pancreatitis with pneumoretroperitoneum and clostridial infection. Two separate cases, at the same institution, of acute pancreatitis complicated by C. perfringens were analyzed. The records of patients were reviewed for admission history, laboratory and radiology results, intensive care support, surgical intervention, and outcome. Retroperitoneal air was visualized early in the clinical course of both patients by computed tomography. Early surgical debridement, drainage, parental antibiotics, and reexploration resulted in an uncomplicated recovery. Early computed tomography in patients with suspected necrotizing pancreatitis contributes to early intervention and may advantageously enhance survival.
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Pancreatitis is the inflammation of the pancreas, which occurs when the immune system becomes active and causes swelling, pain, and disruptions in organ function. Pancreatitis can manifest as either an acute or chronic condition.
Acute pancreatitis arises suddenly and lasts for a brief duration, while chronic pancreatitis is a long-term affliction...
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