[Retroperitoneal abscess in a man with severe necrotizing pancreatitis]

A 65-year-old man was admitted to the emergency unit of another hospital with severe acute abdominal pain. Medial laparotomy revealed a tear in the lower pole of the capsule of the enlarged spleen. Results of some laboratory tests became available only after the procedure: Lipase and amylase levels were markedly elevated at 5097 U/l (normal range < 100 U/l) and 1776 U/l (normal range < 60 U/l), respectively. These findings suggested acute pancreatitis as cause of the acute abdominal pain. Conservative treatment was initiated, but because of progressive clinical deterioration with fever, dyspnea and tachyarrhythmia he was transferred to our hospital for further treatment.

Chest X-ray revealed bilateral pleural effusion. Contrast-enhanced abdominal CT scan revealed an acute peripancreatic fluid collection and extensive pancreatic necrosis extending into the perirenal space, hilum of the spleen and transverse mesocolon. Despite the placement of multiple percutaneous pigtail catheters clinical improvement of the severe necrotizing pancreatitis was only temporary and repeated episodes of fever and septicaemia occured. Supported by a multidisciplinary consensus an endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided transgastric drainage of the pancreatic abscess was performed with placement of two double-pigtail catheters and a nasocystic drain for irrigation. After this intervention the patient}s condition rapidly improved, inflammatory parameters normalized and the retroperitoneal abscess gradually resolved.

A multidisciplinary consensus and modern interventional approaches such as EUS-guided endoscopic therapy are mandatory to successfully approach severe necrotizing pancreatitis and its complications.