[Ultrasonically guided gastroscopically assisted percutaneous internal drainage of pancreatic pseudocysts]

Non-surgical procedures are increasingly being used for drainage of pancreatic pseudocysts. We describe the results of placement of a double pigtail cystogastric stent under ultrasonographic and gastroscopic guidance. The stent was placed in 22 of 25 pseudocysts. There was no mortality associated with the procedure and the total complication rate was 20%. The cysts resolved in all patients and 87% reported reduction of abdominal pain. The median stent-time was 347 days and there were no cyst recurrences or complications during that time. After removal of the stent four out of 19 patients had recurrences. After placement of a second stent in these four patients there were no recurrences. Treatment with a cystogastric stent is comparable to surgical cystogastrostomy as regards to results and has fewer complications.