Factors predictive of the healing of pancreatic pseudocysts treated by percutaneous evacuation

Pseudocyst formation is a well-known complication of pancreatitis which develops over 1 to 4 weeks in approximately 15% of patients. Nearly one-third of pancreatic pseudocysts resolve spontaneously; however, if there is no resolution within six weeks, evacuation must be performed. The aim of this study was to prospectively assess the reliability of the following: etiology; location; amount of pseudocyst liquid; and concentrations of certain biochemical parameters (LDH, glucose, proteins, sodium, potassium, bilirubin, lipase and amylase) in the pseudocyst content and patients' serum, in terms of the efficacy of ultrasound-guided percutaneous evacuation as a therapeutic approach.

Pseudocyst fluid was obtained by ultrasound-guided percutaneous evacuation in 67 patients, with a history of pancreatitis and pancreatic pseudocysts larger than five centimeters in diameter, with a matured membraneous wall that persisted for more than six weeks.

There is a prognostic value associated with the location of the pseudocyst, the amount of pseudocyst liquid and the concentration of proteins, potassium, lipase and amylase in the evacuated material.

Analysis of the aforementioned parameters provides an early forecast of the outcome of percutaneous evacuation.