Acute pancreatitis following liver resection: report of three fatal cases and a review of the literature.
Pancreatitis is a well recognised but rare complication following liver resection. The precise aetiology is not well understood and the clinical diagnosis may frequently be obscured by the postoperative state. Postoperative pancreatitis has a high mortality rate and should always be considered in patients who unexpectantly deteriorate postoperatively. We present three fatal cases of pancreatitis following liver resection. The literature is reviewed to elucidate common factors in patients who develop postoperative pancreatitis.
University of New South Wales, Department of Surgery, St George Hospital, Sydney, NSW 2217, Australia.
Sivapirabu
S
Sathasivam
Angus
A
Ritchie
Adam J
AJ
Brooks
David L
DL
Morris
D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000209:etiology*