title: Percutaneous drainage for treatment of infected pancreatic pseudocysts.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Infection of pancreatic pseudocysts is a potentially fatal complication that must be treated immediately. Despite numerous published reports about percutaneous treatment, the effectiveness of percutaneous catheter drainage (PCD) of infected pancreatic pseudocysts is still under discussion.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, 30 patients (17 women) with 30 infected pancreatic pseudocysts were administered local anesthesia and underwent PCD performed with the use of a single-step trocar technique with computed tomographic guidance. The patients' ages varied from 27 to 74 years (mean age, 45 yr). The etiology was acute pancreatitis in 18 patients, chronic pancreatitis in 11 patients, and surgical trauma in 1 patient.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No complications related to the procedure occurred in our series. The success rate was 96% (29 of 30 patients), with no recurrence during follow-up, which ranged from 2 to 58 months (mean follow-up, 27.2 mo). One patient had unsuccessful PCD and was subsequently treated surgically.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings indicate that PCD is a safe and effective front-line treatment for patients with infected pancreatic pseudocysts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cantasdemir
authors.forename: Batuhan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kara
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kantarci
authors.forename: Ismail
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mihmanli
authors.forename: Furuzan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Numan
authors.forename: Sabri
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Erguney
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002404:Catheterization; D004322:Drainage; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010192:Pancreatic Pseudocyst / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013525:Surgical Instruments; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed