title: A surgical treatment of infected pancreatic necrosis: retroperitoneal laparotomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Due to the anatomical location of the pancreas, sufficient drainage of a pancreatic necrosis by laparotomy may be unsatisfactory.
  
  
  METHODS
  CT and helical CT have provided extremely useful information on the surgical treatment of necrotic pancreatitis. The retroperitoneal approach (RPA) allows direct and complete removal of necrotic tissues.
  
  
  RESULTS
  RPA was used to treat 8 patients with infected pancreatic necrosis. Excision of necrotic tissues was effective and could minimize the complications often associated with laparotomy such as bleeding and intestinal injuries.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  By CT and helical CT, three-dimensional images of pancreatic necrosis are obtained. These investigations have greatly facilitated RPA, which has advantages over laparotomy in the treatment of infected pancreatic necrosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Tokai University, Oiso Hospital, Kanagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakasaki
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tajima
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujii
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Makuuchi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D003646:Debridement / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010180:Pancreatectomy / Q000379:methods*; D019283:Pancreatitis, Acute Necrotizing / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D012086:Reoperation; D012187:Retroperitoneal Space; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed