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Evidence-Based Management of Necrotizing Pancreatitis

  • Pancreas (T Stevens, Section Editor)
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Opinion statement

Pancreatic necrosis may result as a complication of acute pancreatitis, often causing significant morbidity and mortality. There are many recommendations concerning the management of pancreatic necrosis, including non-operative management with supportive care and antibiotics, computed tomography (CT)-guided percutaneous drainage, endoscopic transluminal drainage, and operative necrosectomy. Historically, pancreatic necrosis has been treated surgically. However, surgical management of pancreatic necrosis is associated with high mortality (6–28 %) and morbidity (19–62 %). Thus, endoscopic therapy has emerged as a relatively new minimally invasive technique for treating infected and/or symptomatic pancreatic necrosis in the last decade. Although there have been two randomized trials comparing endoscopic transluminal drainage versus operative necrosectomy, there is little data regarding timing, indication, and outcomes of these procedures.

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Diana A. Whitehead declares that she has no conflict of interest.

Timothy B. Gardner declares that he has no conflict of interest.

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  1. Section of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, One Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH, 03756, USA

    Diana A. Whitehead MD & Timothy B. Gardner MD MS

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  1. Diana A. Whitehead MD
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Correspondence to Timothy B. Gardner MD MS.

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Whitehead, D.A., Gardner, T.B. Evidence-Based Management of Necrotizing Pancreatitis. Curr Treat Options Gastro 12, 322–332 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11938-014-0018-7

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