[Transmural endoscopy drainage of pancreatic pseudocyst: long-term outcome]

Pancreatic pseudocysts are relatively common complications of pancreatitis in adults.

To evaluate the long-term results from transmural endoscopic drainage and thus to establish its role in managing pancreatic pseudocyst.

Fourteen patients with pancreatic pseudocyst were studied. Their main complaint was pain in the upper levels of the abdomen. They presented palpable abdominal mass and underwent cystogastrostomy (n = 12) and cystoduodenostomy (n = 2), with clinical follow-up using abdominal computed tomography for up to 51 months. Retrograde endoscopic cholangiopancreatography was attempted in all cases to study the pancreatic duct and classify the cysts.

There were 10 cases (71.5%) of chronic pancreatitis that had become acute through alcohol abuse and 4 (28.5%) that had become acute through biliary disorders. Both types of endoscopic drainage (cystogastrostomy and cystoduodenostomy) were effective. There was no change in the therapeutic management proposed. Migration of the orthesis into the pseudocyst at the time of insertion (two cases) was the principal complication, and these could be removed during the same operation, by means of a Dormia basket, with the aid of fluoroscopy. There has so far not been any mortality or relapse. The mean hospital stay was 3 days.

Transmural endoscopic drainage was an efficacious form of therapy, presenting a low complication rate and no mortality, and only requiring a short stay in hospital.