title: Treatment of acute pancreatitis caused by calculous obstruction of the pancreatic duct by ultrasound-guided percutaneous drainage.
abstract: In a small percentage of patients with acute pancreatitis, recurrent attacks of pain and hyperamylasaemia occur when feeding is commenced. Recurrences of this type may occur because the pancreas is still swollen and inflamed, and indicate the need for a longer period of "pancreatic rest" before food is introduced. Alternatively, they may reflect the presence of "mechanical" factors leading to the recurrent pancreatitis, such as a gallstone in the common bile duct, a pseudocyst of the pancreas, or pancreatic duct obstruction. Successful resolution of the pancreatitis may require treatment of underlying causative factors. A stone in the pancreatic duct (probably a gallstone) was found to be the cause of recurrent acute pancreatitis in an elderly patient with severe cardiovascular disease, who was unfit for surgery. Pancreatitis settled after percutaneous drainage of the pancreatic duct, the technique described.
authors.affiliation: University Department of Surgery, General Infirmary at Leeds, England.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fowler
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: McMahon
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D002137:Calculi / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008096:Lithotripsy; D008297:Male; D010182:Pancreatic Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010183:Pancreatic Ducts / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D014463:Ultrasonography