[The "pancreatic unit" in the treatment of severe necrotizing pancreatitis]

The course of acute pancreatitis varies from mild, fortuitous forms to grave, life threatening disease. Approximately 80-90% of all forms are mild with low morbidity and mortality. The rest consist of severe, sometimes even fatal forms with present necrosis. It is active, conservative therapy which dominates, arising from new knowledge in interdisciplinary intensive care, together with enhanced possibilities of disease control. Capabilities of intensive care, elimination methods, endoscopy, interventional radiology, and other fields exceed abilities of surgical wards and thus require interdisciplinary approach. In accordance with international recommendations, the only way to meet these requirements is creation of specialized units dedicated to treatment of severe acute pancreatitis e.g. pancreatic units. Authors present their ideas of such pancreatic unit estabilished at their clinic. Professional experiences of authors come from 1350 patients being hospitalized with diagnosed acute pancreatitis throughout years 1990 to 2006.