P-P09 Salvage transgastric necrosectomy as a part of a step-up approach to managing acute necrotising pancreatitis

Background The use of EUS (endoscopic ultrasound) guided drainage with endoscopic LAMS (lumen apposing metal stent) necrosectomy is an emerging treatment option for walled-off pancreatic necrosis (WOPN) secondary to acute severe pancreatitis. It can delay or remove the need for surgical necrosectomy, which can be associated with high morbidity and mortality. However, the endoscopic approach is not always successful due to a multitude of factors and salvage transgastric necrosectomy can be performed using the tract created by the LAMS to achieve internal drainage and remove necrotic pancreas. Methods We describe our unit’s experience in managing WOPN in two patients. We suggest a treatment pathway of WOPN which includes a step-up approach including salvage transgastric necrosectomy in patients where multiple endoscopic necrosectomies and washouts have failed. Results Two patients, aged 67 and 69, were admitted as intensive care transfers for gallstone and alcohol pancreatitis respectively. They underwent a step-up approach to treat their infected WOPN, starting with the deployment of LAMS and endoscopic necrosectomy. They both showed brief clinical improvement after repeated endoscopic necrosectomy but further imaging showed ongoing large collections that could not be treated endoscopically. Both patients underwent successful transgastric open necrosectomy where necrotic pancreatic tissue was accessed surgically through the already created cyst-gastrostomy. This had the advantage of internal drainage of the collection into the stomach without the need for external surgical drains. Conclusions The emphasis in the treatment of WOPN has shifted to minimally invasive percutaneous or endoscopic drainage modalities. Endoscopically inserted LAMS may not always achieve definitive drainage of the WOPN but should be employed in the first instance as they are associated with reduced morbidity and mortality compared to surgery. Ultimately, open necrosectomy with washout remains the definitive management strategy in the step-up approach. We believe that the trans-gastric open necrosectomy approach can be used successfully in patients where the minimally invasive approach has failed.

Indications and outcome of surgical management of local complications of acute pancreatitis: a single-centre experience

Background: Acute pancreatitis is a common and challenging disease that can develop both local and systemic complications. According to the Atlanta classification, local complications include peri-pancreatic collection, acute necrotic collection, pseudocyst and walled-off necrosis.Methods: A hospital-based retrospective study was conducted in the department of surgery at Kathmandu medical college teaching hospital. Patients were recruited using purposive sampling method and those who underwent laparoscopic, retroperitoneal or open surgical procedures for the management of local complications of acute pancreatitis from June 2017 to July 2021. The indication, perioperative outcome and associated complications were evaluated in all the cases.Results: Between June 2017 to July 2021, 432patients were admitted to the surgery department with acute pancreatitis or with complications of acute pancreatitis. Twenty-one patients required surgical intervention in the form of external drainage, cysto-enterostomy, VARD or open necrosectomy due to failure of endoscopic or radiological intervention or due to positions of lesions being inaccessible to these techniques. All patients had clinical improvement following surgery with an acceptable complication rate given the severity of the disease.Conclusions: Although various endoscopic techniques are now available to manage the pancreatic fluid collection and pancreatic necrosis, surgery remains essential in managing the disease.

Comparison of Different Surgical Methods for Necrotizing Pancreatitis: A Meta-Analysis

Purpose: To compare the effectiveness and safety of three methods of open necrosectomy, minimally invasive surgery and endoscopic step-up approach for necrotizing pancreatitis.Methods: We searched Pubmed, Embase, ScienceDirect, and CNKI full text database (CNKI) (to December 25, 2019). RCT, prospective cohort study (PCS), and retrospective cohort study (RCS) comparing the effectiveness and safety of any two of above-mentioned three methods were included.Results: There was no significant difference in major complications or death, and mortality between the minimally invasive surgery treatment group and the endoscopic step-up approach treatment group (RR = 1.66, 95%CI: 0.83–3.33, P = 0.15; RR = 1.05, 95%CI: 0.59–1.86, P = 0.87); the incidence rate of new-onset multiple organ failure, enterocutaneous fistula, pancreatic-cutaneous fistula, intra-abdominal bleeding, and endocrine pancreatic insufficiency in the endoscopic step-up approach treatment group was significantly lower than minimally invasive surgery group (RR = 2.65, 95%CI: 1.10–6.36, P = 0.03; RR = 6.63, 95%CI: 1.59–27.60, P = 0.009; RR = 7.73, 95%CI: 3.00–19.89, P < 0.0001; RR = 1.91, 95%CI: 1.13–3.24, P = 0.02; RR = 1.83, 95%CI: 1.9–3.16, P = 0.02); hospital stay in the endoscopic step-up approach group was significantly shorter than minimally invasive surgical treatment group (MD = 11.26, 95%CI: 5.46–17.05, P = 0.0001). The incidence of pancreatic-cutaneous fistula in the endoscopic escalation step therapy group was significantly lower than that in the open necrosectomy group (RR = 0.11, 95%CI: 0.02–0.58, P = 0.009).Conclusion: Compared with minimally invasive surgery and open necrosectomy, although endoscopic step-up approach cannot reduce the main complications or death and mortality of patients, it can significantly reduce the incidence of some serious complications, such as pancreatic-cutaneous fistula, enterocutaneous fistula, intra-abdominal bleeding, endocrine pancreatic insufficiency, and can significantly shorten the patient's hospital stay.

Endoscopic transmural drainage and necrosectomy in acute necrotizing pancreatitis: A review

Acute necrotizing pancreatitis occurs in 10%–20% of patients with acute pancreatitis (AP) which is one of the most important acute abdominal diseases that require hospital admission. Pancreatic necrosis is also associated with high mortality and morbidity. In the past 20 years, the treatment of pancreatic necrosis has shifted from open necrosectomy to minimally invasive techniques, such as endoscopic interventions. With the development of endoscopic techniques, the safety and effectiveness of endoscopic interventions have improved, but there exist several unresolved problems. Currently, there is no unified standard approach for endoscopic treatment of pancreatic necrosis that takes into account local expertise, anatomical features of necrosis, patients’ preferences, and comorbidity profile. We reviewed the current status of endoscopic therapy for acute necrotizing pancreatitis, focusing on the new endoscopic drainage technique and necrosectomy protocol.

Necrotizing Pancreatitis: Step Up Approach

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a inflamatory condition of the pancreatic gland with or without involvement of peripancreatic tissues and distant organs. The incidence of AP is 20–35 cases per 100,000 inhabitants per year, with an overall mortality of 2–10%. In recent decades the incidence of AP has increased globally. Most cases follow a mild, self-limiting course, but 10–20% of patients develop a severe form with systemic and local life-threatening complications of pancreatic and peripancreatic necrosis come about 20–40% of patient with severe AP and aggravate organ functions. The traditional approach to the treatment of necrotizing pancreatitis with secondary infection of necrotic tissue is open necrosectomy to remove the infected necrotic tissue. But this is associated with high rates of complications, death and pancreatic insufficiency. The benefits of sequential treatment in cases of infected necrosis (“Step an approach”) compared to traditional open necrosectomy, showing less morbidity and lower costs. The sequential treatment is an alternative to open necrosectomy, including percutaneous drainage, endoscopic (transgastric) drainage, and minimally invasive retroperitoneal necrosectomy. With this approach, up to 35% of patients can be treated only with drainage, to avoid necrosectomy and to reduce the percentage of complications. In this chapter we present the step-by-step approach.

Pancreatic window and open necrosectomy; a surgical alternative for walled-off pancreatic necrosis in a second level hospital in Mexico

Walled-off pancreatic necrosis is defined as a necrotic collection with a defined wall, which generally occurs in 15% of patients in the fourth week after acute pancreatitis. Actually, open surgery is reserved for selected cases, with minimally invasive treatments such as image-assisted percutaneous drainage or endoscopic ultrasound being the procedures of choice. However, in developing countries the open approach continues to be an effective therapeutic alternative. We present the case of a 47-year-old male patient with no significant history who developed severe acute pancreatitis secondary to hypertriglyceridemia and who later developed walled-off pancreatic necrosis as a late complication. As a treatment, a debridement of the necrotic tissue with marsupialization was performed using the bradley III technique, secondary to the procedure, a pancreatic fistula was developed. After 8 weeks of hospitalization, in which he had a favourable response to surgical treatment, with spontaneous closure of the fistula without complications. Surgical management of late complications of acute pancreatitis remains controversial. Although minimally invasive procedures are the first option nowadays, in developing countries, open necrosectomy remains a good option for the treatment of these types of complications.