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Percutaneous Endoscopic Step-Up Therapy Is an Effective Minimally Invasive Approach for Infected Necrotizing Pancreatitis

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Abstract

Background

Infected pancreatic necrosis (IPN) is a major complication of acute pancreatitis (AP), which may require necrosectomy. Minimally invasive surgical step-up therapy is preferred for IPN.

Aim

To assess the effectiveness of percutaneous endoscopic step-up therapy in patients with IPN and identify predictors of its success.

Methods

Consecutive patients with AP hospitalized to our tertiary care academic center were studied prospectively. Patients with IPN formed the study group. The treatment protocol for IPN was percutaneous endoscopic step-up approach starting with antibiotics and percutaneous catheter drainage, and if required necrosectomy. Percutaneous endoscopic necrosectomy (PEN) was performed using a flexible endoscope through the percutaneous tract under conscious sedation. Control of sepsis with resolution of collection(s) was the primary outcome measure.

Results

A total of 415 patients with AP were included. Of them, 272 patients had necrotizing pancreatitis and 177 (65%) developed IPN. Of these 177 patients, 27 were treated conservatively with antibiotics alone, 56 underwent percutaneous drainage alone, 53 required underwent PEN as a step-up therapy, 1 per-oral endoscopic necrosectomy, and 52 required surgery. Of the 53 patients in the PEN group, 42 (79.2%) were treated successfully—34 after PEN alone and 8 after additional surgery. Eleven of 53 patients died due to organ failure—7 after PEN and 4 after surgery. Independent predictors of mortality were > 50% necrosis and early organ failure.

Conclusion

Percutaneous endoscopic step-up therapy is an effective strategy for IPN. Organ failure and extensive pancreatic necrosis predicted a suboptimal outcome in patients with infected necrotizing pancreatitis.

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Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Contributions

SJ, RP contributed to acquisition of data, analysis and interpretation of data, drafting of the manuscript, critical revision, and final approval of the manuscript; SB, SKJ, RD, NRD, KSM, SRG, PS contributed to analysis and interpretation of data, drafting of the manuscript, critical revision, and final approval of the manuscript; PKG contributed to study concept and design, analysis and interpretation of data; study supervision, drafting of the manuscript, critical revision, and final approval of the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Pramod Kumar Garg.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Ethical consideration

Institutional ethical clearance was obtained for two studies on natural course and outcomes of patients with AP.

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Jain, S., Padhan, R., Bopanna, S. et al. Percutaneous Endoscopic Step-Up Therapy Is an Effective Minimally Invasive Approach for Infected Necrotizing Pancreatitis. Dig Dis Sci 65, 615–622 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-019-05696-2

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