Video-Assisted Retroperitoneal Debridement (VARD) of Infected Necrotizing Pancreatitis: An Update

The treatment of necrotizing pancreatitis has changed considerably over the last decades. Intervention is now primarily performed in case of infected necrosis, is preferably delayed to approximately 4 weeks after onset of disease and minimally invasive techniques have gained popularity. Percutaneous catheter drainage obviates the need for additional necrosectomy in around 30 % of patients and should, therefore, be the first step of treatment. Minimally invasive necrosectomy can be performed as a next step in those patients who do not improve after drainage. This review discusses the background, technique, and results of the literature of a form of minimally invasive retroperitoneal necrosectomy: video-assisted retroperitoneal debridement.