[Treatment of gallstone pancreatitis in Denmark].
BACKGROUND
The aim of the study was to describe the treatment of gallstone pancreatitis in Denmark and to compare it to the recommendations given in the National Reference Programme for the treatment of patients with gallstone disease.


METHODS
A questionnaire was sent to the 42 general surgical hospital departments in Denmark.


RESULTS
All of the departments returned the questionnaire. All of them treated patients with gallstone pancreatitis; 40 of them performed laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The severity of gallstone pancreatitis was estimated in 29 departments. In patients with mild gallstone pancreatitis, 6 departments used ERCP in the evaluation of choledocholithiasis. In patients with mild gallstone pancreatitis who did not undergo an ERCP procedure with sphincterotomy, 13 departments performed laparoscopic cholecystectomy during the same admission after an acute attack.


CONCLUSIONS
In agreement with the recommendations given in the National Reference Programme, the majority of Danish surgical departments used laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the treatment of patients with gallstone pancreatitis who had not undergone ERCP with sphincterotomy. To avoid the high recurrence of gallstone pancreatitis, laparoscopic cholecystectomy during the same admission is recommended. This recommendation was, however, followed by less than half of the surgical departments.
Jakobsen
Henrik Loft
HL
Amtssygehuset i Glostrup, Kirurgisk Gastroenterologisk Afdeling. hloft@dadlnet.dk
Rosenberg
Jacob
J
Schulze
Svend
S
Kristiansen
Viggo B
VB
D000208:Acute Disease; D002760:Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde; D049448:Cholangiopancreatography, Magnetic Resonance; D017081:Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic; D003718:Denmark; D042882:Gallstones / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014463:Ultrasonography