[Suppurative complications of acute pancreatitis]

This retrospective study investigated the management of the suppurative complication of acute pancreatitis in our clinic.

A retrospective study was made in the Surgery no. 1 Clinic of Timisoara during the period of 6 years (1996-2001) and on the subject of the acute pancreatitis with suppurative complications.

As a result the study found a number of 16 cases of suppurative complications out of a total number of 224 acute pancreatitis (7.14%). The acute pancreatitis with suppurative complications was most frequent of biliary etiology (56.2%). All suppurations have occurred on serious necrotizing hemorrhagic acute pancreatitis background. The major elements that contributed to determining the diagnosis were: systemic toxicity, the permanent sepsis, the association of multiple organ failure, but the element that provided certainty in the diagnosis was the computed tomography (CT scan). The surgical mortality was 18.7%.

The acute pancreatitis that evolves unfavorable under medical treatment must be operated. Necrotic tissues and purulent collections must be evacuated and drained efficiently. Open drainage through laparotomy lowered postoperative mortality. The early surgical intervention had a favorable effect on the prognostic.