title: Surgical therapy of pancreatic pseudocysts.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pancreatic pseudocysts are a common complication associated with acute and chronic pancreatitis. Fifteen percent and 40% of patients diagnosed with either acute or chronic pancreatitis, respectively, develop pseudocysts (Grace and Williamson, Br J Surg, 80:573-581, 1993). The treatment of pancreatic pseudocysts has evolved since the early 1980s, and changes in management have lead to an improved understanding of the pathophysiology of pseudocysts as well as necessary treatment paradigms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It has become evident that not all pseudocysts are equal. Pseudocysts arising in the setting of acute pancreatitis have a different pathophysiologic basis than those arising from chronic pancreatitis. Moreover, even those pseudocysts that arise in acute pancreatitis exhibit unique features. Pseudocysts that develop from a mild episode of pancreatitis, complicated by pancreatic duct disruption, differ significantly from those developed as a consequence of severe acute necrotizing pancreatitis with severe distortion of the pancreatic parenchyma or pancreatic duct. This review will focus on the surgical therapy of pancreatic pseudocysts in the context of the underlying pathophysiology and alternative nonoperative therapies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of General and GI Surgery, University of Florida, P.O. Box 100286, 1600 SW Archer Rd, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA. Kevin.Behrns@surgery.ufl.edu
authors.forename: Kevin E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Behrns
authors.forename: Kfir
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ben-David
mesh_terms: D000713:Anastomosis, Roux-en-Y; D004322:Drainage / Q000379:methods; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods; D010192:Pancreatic Pseudocyst / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D010193:Pancreaticojejunostomy; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D016879:Salvage Therapy