title: Pancreatic pseudocysts. When to drain, when to wait.
abstract: Acute pain in the upper abdomen in a patient recovering from pancreatitis or abdominal trauma may herald a pancreatic pseudocyst. Although small cysts resolve spontaneously, those larger than 6 cm across usually require treatment to prevent such complications as rupture into adjacent structures and infection. The authors describe operative and nonoperative treatment methods and the success reported with each.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston 29425.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Adams
mesh_terms: D004322:Drainage / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D010192:Pancreatic Pseudocyst / Q000628:therapy*