title: Pro/con clinical debate: antibiotics are important in the management of patients with pancreatitis with evidence of pancreatic necrosis.
abstract: Pancreatitis is not an infrequent diagnosis in patients admitted to the intensive care unit. Prolonged stays, intense resource utilization and high morbidity/mortality are commonplace in such patients. Management for the most part is supportive, with the surgical team keeping close watch to intervene as the need arises. Over the past few decades there has been considerable debate regarding the usefulness of systemic antibiotics to prevent infectious complications in patients with evidence of pancreatic necrosis. In the present article of Critical Care, two expert groups debate the two sides of this contentious antibiotic issue.
authors.affiliation: Intensive Care and Accident Department, University Hospital Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Graham
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ramsay
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Breedveld
authors.forename: Lorne H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Blackbourne
authors.forename: Stephen M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Cohn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D009102:Multiple Organ Failure / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D009336:Necrosis; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology