The relation of laparotomy timing to prognosis in patients with acute necrotizing pancreatitis.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the relation of laparotomy timing to the prognosis in patients with acute necrotizing pancreatitis (ANP).


METHODS
The laparotomy timing, morbidity, mortality and reoperation rate were reviewed in 78 patients with ANP at our hospital from 1988 to 2001.


RESULTS
The morbidity rates of early operation, delayed operation and non-operation groups were 68.7%, 34.2% and 29.1%, respectively, and their mortality rates were 37.5%, 10.5% and 12.5%. The reoperation rates in early operation and delayed operation groups were 87.5% and 18.4%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The strategy for the management of ANP is an important factor influencing the prognosis of ANP patients. For ANP, delayed operation if necessary is more preferable than early operation in terms of better prognosis, and surgery should be simple and free from severe trauma.
Yang
Xing-Wu
XW
Department of Surgery, Second Clinical College, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116027, China. dlyxw@yahoo.com.cn
Luo
Fu-Wen
FW
Zhao
Shang-Da
SD
Yang
Chun-Ming
CM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007813:Laparotomy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019283:Pancreatitis, Acute Necrotizing / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D011379:Prognosis; D012086:Reoperation; D013997:Time Factors