Management of retroperitoneal infected necrotic tissues in pelvic cavity in patients with severe acute pancreatitis

Objective To investigate the management of retroperitoneal infected necrotic tissues in pelvic cavity in patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP).Methods The clinical data of 5 patients with SAP complicated with retroperitoneal infected necrotic tissue in the pelvic carvity who were admitted to the General Hospital of Nanjing Military Area from December 2009 to February 2012 were retrospectively analyzed.Systemic comprehensive treatement combined with local management were applied to all the patients.Results Systemic comprehensive treatment:all the 5 patients were treated by enteral nutrition,3 by mechanical ventilation and 3 by continuous blood purification.All the retroperitoneal infected necrotic tissues in the pelvic carvity were treated by computed tomography (CT)-guided percutaneous catheter drainage,and then the patients were converted to open surgery for further drainage.Four patients had complication of infected pancreatic necrosis bleeding,and they were treated by arterial embolism and (or) "sandwich" therapy.Local management:5 patients with retroperitoneal infected necrotic tissues received CT-guided percutaneous catheter drainage via buttocks.The average time of puncturation after illness was 38.4 days,and the average CT density of infected necrotic tissue was 24.4 Hu (20-28 Hu).Catheterization was successfully done in the open surgery for all the 5 patients,and the average time of abdominal drainage was 21 days.The body temperature and white blood cell count were decreased after puncturation.The average duration of intensive care unite stay,the average time of hospital stay and the average cost of hospitalization were (47 ± 20 )days,(88 ±34 )days and (186 342 ± 15 467 )yuan.All the patients were followed up till May 2012,no recurrece of the retroperitoneal infected necrotic tissue was detected.Conclusion CT-guided percutaneous catheter drainage via buttocks is effective for the treatment of retroperitoneal infected necrotic tissue in the pelvic cavity in SAP patients. Key words: Severe acute pancreatitis;  Drainage;  Retroperitoneal cavity;  Infected necrotic tissue; Percutaneous catheter drainage