[Repeated peritoneal lavage in necrotizing pancreatitis. Preliminary experiences with a new therapy concept]

A retrospective report on experience with patients with hemorrhagic necrotizing pancreatitis treated surgically with the new therapeutic concept of programmed lavage, so-called, is presented. With the exception of one fatality, using an unchanged intensive care therapy program, 7 patients were successfully treated with the new concept. Since the results obtained with the therapeutic concept used prior to the technique of programmed lavage, as also reports in the international literature, are associated with a very poor prognosis, it is suggested that this new treatment concept be employed with the aim of improving the prognosis. A definitive assessment of this concept will, however, require a large number of cases treated in this way.