Survival of patients with duodenal fistulas from necrotizing pancreatitis

Acute necrotizing pancreatitis associated with occult duodenal necrosis and perforation developed in 3 patients 2 to 4 weeks after initially successful treatment of hemorrhagic pancreatitis. Exploration was required for fever, abdominal mass, or X-ray findings of an intra-abdominal abscess. At operation all pancreatic and retroperitoneal abscesses were drained with sump tubes, and the duodenal fistula was closed. An intraluminal tube, placed via a gastrostomy, was used for decompression of the duodenum. Postoperative management included total parenteral nutrition, antibiotics specific for aerobic and anaerobic flora, and frequent X-rays to locate new intra-abdominal abscesses. One to 4 reoperations were necessary because of continuing pancreatic necrosis and abscess formation in each patient. Necrotizing pancreatitis with unrelenting retroperitoneal sepsis and fistula formation results in serious morbidity, hospital stays of several months, and is now the major cause of death in patients with pancreatitis. Survival of all 3 patients resulted from drainage of evolving retroperitoneal abscesses and improvement in our technique for management of large duodenal fistulas.