[Acute pancreatitis treated in a surgery ward. Apropos of 57 cases]

The aim of this study was to examine the results of a policy in the treatment of acute pancreatitis (AP): initial abstention, management in intensive care unit, surgery in cases of complication (infection and/or failure of medical treatment). The modalities of the surgical treatment were guided by CT scan findings: transperitoneal approach for diffuse lesions, posterior approach for localized lesions. From 1986 to 1994, 57 patients (32 males, 25 females, mean age 59.2 years) were referred to our department for AP. Etiology was gallstones in 29 cases, alcohol in 14 cases (Ranson < 3), moderate in 27 cases (Ranson < or = 5) and serious in 12 cases (Ranson > or = 6). According to the initial CT scan findings (56 cases), 9 patients were classified grade A, 11 grade B, 13 grade C, 8 grade D ans 15 grade E. Thirty eight patients were managed conservatively (mean Ranson stage 3.3), while 19 patients underwent surgical treatment (mean Ranson stage 4.6), in emergency for misdiagnosis (4 cases), or secondarily because of failure of medical management (15 cases). Surgery consisted in necrosectomy with active drainage in 13 cases and drainage alone in 6 cases. Associated maneuvers included: cholecystectomy in 8 cases, cholecystostomy in 2 cases, jejunostomy in 7 cases and colic resection for necrosis in 3 cases. Two patients (5%) managed conservatively died (multiple organ failure and cardiac insufficiency) while 4 patients (21%: NS) who underwent surgery died (2 multiple organ failures, 1 septic shock, 1 myocardic infarction). Mortality was correlated with the Ranson score: 42% for serious AP, 3.7% for moderate AP and nil for mild AP (p < 0.01). It was not correlated with CT scan grade, the onset or the type of operation. These results allow us to conclude that surgical treatment should be indicated only in cases of failure of conservative management, the best indication being uncontrolled sepsis. In this situation, active drainage provides good results since only one sepsis recurred among the 14 patients who underwent this procedure.