PubMed1978
On the basis of 45 cases of operated pseudocyst, the Authors tackle the problem of surgical tactis in treatment of these lesions and any complications. The paper outline the contribution that recent diagnostic methods--such as endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, computed tomography and ultrasonography--have made to solution of the problem and establishes the criteria for emergency or elective operation. In the first condition, consisting in cases of complications (haemorrhagic, suppurative, perforative etc.), abnormal development of pseudocysts and serious impairment of the patient's general conditions, the treatment of the pseudocyst generally takes the form of external drainage. The second condition, obtainable after a sufficient period of "ripening", usually consists in a cysto-digestive shunt or cysto-parenchymal demolition in view of the high morbidity arising from external drainage. Surgical treatment of the pseudocyst is completed by therapy of any basic chronic pancreatitis and by correction of probable associated lesions affecting the bile and digestive tracts and the splanchnic venous circulation. In the reported cases, 28 patients were treated by cysto-digestive shunt, 8 by cysto-parenchymal demolition and 9 by external drainage. There were 37 combined operations.