A concept of treatment in acute pancreatitis--results of controlled trials, and future developments

The prognostic assessment, as well as the individual therapy especially of acute necrotizing pancreatitis, still remains a common clinical problem. Today, conservative intensive care is widely accepted as the most important initial therapeutic measure. Despite various attempts based on different underlying pathophysiological mechanisms, advances in conservative therapeutic concepts over the last few years have remained small. The aim of the following review is to present current concepts of treatment of acute pancreatitis, summarizing the established guidelines for conservative and operative surgical therapy as discussed in further articles of this issue. Furthermore, important recent attempts at therapeutic innovation are discussed, and the prospects for future development presented.