Experience with surgical internal drainage of pancreatic pseudocyst.

BACKGROUND

Pancreatic pseudocyst is an uncommon disorder in Nigeria compared with the Caucasian population.

OBJECTIVE

This study was carried out to determine the pattern and outcome of surgical management of the disease in a Nigerian population.

METHODS

The authors reviewed the records of 10 consecutive patients with pancreatic pseudocysts who were surgically managed in Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Nigeria, from November 1998 to October 2005.

RESULTS

There were four males and six females, with a mean age of 19.2 years. The etiological factors included idiopathic acute pancreatitis in a two-year old child and blunt abdominal trauma in two patients. In seven patients, the cause could not be determined. The most common clinical features included epigastric pain, fever, intra-abdominal mass and vomiting. The duration of symptoms ranged from 15-204 days (mean=102 days). Open cystogastrostomy was done in eight patients, and two patients had cystoduodenostomy. The mean duration of hospital stay after surgery was 9.4 days (range = 7-15 days). There was no recurrence in any of the patients after about 3-9 months of follow-up with ultrasonography, and no death was recorded.

CONCLUSIONS

Open surgical internal drainage is safe and effective with low morbidity and mortality. There is a need for provision of facilities for minimally invasive laparoscopic and endoscopic techniques.