Microbial Spectra and Clinical Outcomes from Endoscopically Drained Pancreatic Fluid Collections: A Descriptive...

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Endoscopic Surgery

Background:

• Pancreatic pseudocyst (PC) and walled-off necrosis (WON) are serious complications of acute pancreatitis.
• Endoscopic ultrasound-guided transmural drainage is the standard treatment for PC and WON.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the impact of different stent types (LAMS vs. DPPS) on infection rates and clinical outcomes in patients undergoing endoscopic drainage for PC or WON.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study of 77 patients treated with endoscopic drainage for PC or WON.
• Analysis of infection rates, adverse events, length of hospital stay, and intermediate care unit transfers based on stent type (LAMS with or without DPPS vs. DPPS only).

Main Results:

• Higher rates of bacterial and fungal infections were observed in patients treated with LAMS (with or without DPPS) compared to DPPS alone.
• LAMS use was associated with a longer hospital stay and increased likelihood of transfer to an intermediate care unit.
• These differences were not significant when analyzing only WON patients.

Conclusions:

• The complexity of the pancreatic fluid collection (PFC) appears to be a more significant factor influencing clinical outcomes than the type of stent used.
• Further large-scale prospective studies are needed to validate these findings.