Recurrent acute biliary pancreatitis: the protective role of cholecystectomy and endoscopic sphincterotomy

Suspected common bile duct stones: reduction of unnecessary ERCP by pre-procedural imaging and timing of ERCP

BACKGROUND

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is the procedure of choice to remove sludge/stones from the common bile duct (CBD). In a small but clinically important proportion of patients with suspected choledocholithiasis ERCP is negative. This is undesirable because of ERCP associated morbidity. We aimed to map the diagnostic pathway leading up to ERCP and evaluate ERCP outcome.

METHODS

We established a prospective multicenter cohort of patients with suspected CBD stones. We assessed the determinants that were associated with CBD sludge or stone detection upon ERCP.

RESULTS

We established a cohort of 707 patients with suspected CBD sludge or stones (62% female, median age 59 years). ERCP was negative for CBD sludge or stones in 155 patients (22%). Patients with positive ERCPs frequently had pre-procedural endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) or magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) imaging (44% vs. 35%; P = 0.045). The likelihood of ERCP sludge and stones detection was higher when the time interval between EUS or MRCP and ERCP was less than 2 days (odds ratio 2.35; 95% CI 1.25-4.44; P = 0.008; number needed to harm 7.7).

CONCLUSIONS

Even in the current era of society guidelines and use of advanced imaging CBD sludge or stones are absent in one out of five ERCPs performed for suspected CBD stones. The proportion of unnecessary ERCPs is lower in case of pre-procedural EUS or MRCP. A shorter time interval between EUS or MRCP increases the yield of ERCP for suspected CBD stones and should, therefore, preferably be performed within 2 days before ERCP.

Acute Pancreatitis following L-Asparaginase in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia A.Elouali1,2 S.M'harzi1,2, A.Ghannam1,2, A.Babakhouya1,2, M.Rkain1,2, N.Benajiba1,2

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most frequent malignancy in children,representing 25–30% of all childhood malignancies. Although treatment outcome has improved owing to advances in chemotherapy, there is still a group of patients who experience severe adverse events. L-Asparaginase is an effective antineoplastic agent used in chemotherapy of ALL. Despite its indisputable indication, it can cause various adverse effects, including acute pancreatitis (AP). Recently, an increase in the number of pediatric AP cases following L-Asparaginase in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia been reported. We presented a case of acute pancreatitis in children with ALL induced by administration of L-ASPA preparations.

Optimal timing of cholecystectomy after necrotising biliary pancreatitis

OBJECTIVE

Following an episode of acute biliary pancreatitis, cholecystectomy is advised to prevent recurrent biliary events. There is limited evidence regarding the optimal timing and safety of cholecystectomy in patients with necrotising biliary pancreatitis.

DESIGN

A post hoc analysis of a multicentre prospective cohort. Patients with biliary pancreatitis and a CT severity score of three or more were included in 27 Dutch hospitals between 2005 and 2014. Primary outcome was the optimal timing of cholecystectomy in patients with necrotising biliary pancreatitis, defined as: the optimal point in time with the lowest risk of recurrent biliary events and the lowest risk of complications of cholecystectomy. Secondary outcomes were the number of recurrent biliary events, periprocedural complications of cholecystectomy and the protective value of endoscopic sphincterotomy for the recurrence of biliary events.

RESULTS

Overall, 248 patients were included in the analysis. Cholecystectomy was performed in 191 patients (77%) at a median of 103 days (P25-P75: 46-222) after discharge. Infected necrosis after cholecystectomy occurred in four (2%) patients with persistent peripancreatic collections. Before cholecystectomy, 66 patients (27%) developed biliary events. The risk of overall recurrent biliary events prior to cholecystectomy was significantly lower before 10 weeks after discharge (risk ratio 0.49 (95% CI 0.27 to 0.90); p=0.02). The risk of recurrent pancreatitis before cholecystectomy was significantly lower before 8 weeks after discharge (risk ratio 0.14 (95% CI 0.02 to 1.0); p=0.02). The complication rate of cholecystectomy did not decrease over time. Endoscopic sphincterotomy did not reduce the risk of recurrent biliary events (OR 1.40 (95% CI 0.74 to 2.83)).

CONCLUSION

The optimal timing of cholecystectomy after necrotising biliary pancreatitis, in the absence of peripancreatic collections, is within 8 weeks after discharge.

Efficacy of Common Bile Duct Stenting on the Reduction in Gallstone Migration and Symptoms Recurrence in Patients with Biliary Pancreatitis Who Were Candidates for Delayed Cholecystectomy

BACKGROUND

In patients with severe biliary pancreatitis, delayed cholecystectomy associated with a high risk of recurrence is recommended. The current study aimed to evaluate the effect of common bile duct (CBD) stenting on reducing gallstones migration and recurrence of symptoms in patients with pancreatitis and delayed cholecystectomy candidates.

METHODS

To this purpose, the randomized, controlled clinical trial was performed on 40 patients with biliary pancreatitis who were candidates for delayed cholecystectomy. Patients were randomly divided into two groups of A and B that underwent CBD stenting after ERCP and received endoscopic treatment without stenting, respectively. A checklist recorded demographics and complications. Group A was followed up after four weeks to remove the stent and record the complications. Group B underwent MRCP to examine the migration of new gallstones as well as the complications.

RESULTS

Of the 40 patients, 20 subjects (11 males and 9 females) were allocated to each group, matched for demographic variables. In the one-month follow-up, only one subject in group A manifested symptoms of gallstone migration and recurrence, while in group B, recurrence was observed in 6 patients (P = 0.037). There was no significant difference in the success rate of ERCP and the incidence of complications between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

CBD stenting in patients with biliary pancreatitis and gallstone could reduce the risk of recurrence and remigration of gallstones in delayed cholecystectomy cases.

The Etiology of Pancreatic Manifestations in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an idiopathic chronic and recurrent condition that comprises Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. A pancreatic lesion is one of the extraintestinal lesions in patients with IBD. Acute pancreatitis is the representative manifestation, and various causes of pancreatitis have been reported, including those involving adverse effects of drug therapies such as 5-aminosalicylic acid and thiopurines, gall stones, gastrointestinal lesions on the duodenum, iatrogenic harm accompanying endoscopic procedures such as balloon endoscopy, and autoimmunity. Of these potential causes, autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) is a relatively newly recognized disease and is being increasingly diagnosed in IBD. AIP cases can be divided into type 1 cases involving lymphocytes and IgG4-positive plasma cells, and type 2 cases primarily involving neutrophils; the majority of AIP cases complicating IBD are type 2. The association between IBD and chronic pancreatitis, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, pancreatic cancer, etc. has also been suggested; however, studies with high-quality level evidence are limited, and much remains unknown. In this review, we provide an overview of the etiology of pancreatic manifestation in patients with IBD.

The impact of empiric endoscopic biliary sphincterotomy on future gallstone-related complications in patients with non-severe acute biliary pancreatitis whose cholecystectomy was deferred or not performed

BACKGROUND

Early cholecystectomy (EC) is recommended in patients with acute biliary pancreatitis (ABP). In real-life practice, cholecystectomy is frequently deferred due to various reasons and delayed cholecystectomy (DC) is performed instead. Endoscopic sphincterotomy (ES) is an alternative to prevent recurrent pancreatitis, however other gallstone-related complications (GCs) may still develop. We aimed to determine the impact of ES on future GCs in patients with non-severe acute biliary pancreatitis whose cholecystectomy was deferred or not performed.

METHODS

During 2006-2016, we included patients with non-severe ABP while those with severe pancreatitis and concurrent cholangitis were excluded. GC events were compared between those who had DC with ES and those who had DC without ES. A similar comparison was made in patients with and without ES who did not receive cholecystectomy.

RESULTS

Of 266 patients with ABP, non-severe ABP was identified in 146. Only 16 (11%) had EC. Of patients with non-severe ABP who underwent DC (n = 88), recurrent ABP in the ES group was lower than those from the non-ES group (2% vs. 17%; p = 0.01). Acute cholecystitis was found in 0%, 6% and 10% of patients with EC, DC and those without cholecystectomy (p = 0.39). Of those who did not undergo cholecystectomy (n = 42), recurrent ABP in the ES group was still lower than the non-ES group (4% vs. 36%; p = 0.006). ES related complications were mild pancreatitis (4%) and post sphincterotomy bleeding (5%).

CONCLUSIONS

In patient with non-severe ABP, ES is an alternative to reduce recurrent ABP, however without EC, future cholecystitis may still develop.

The Role of Endotherapy in Recurrent Acute Pancreatitis

Patients with recurrent acute pancreatitis (RAP) have few treatment options available to them to manage their symptoms or prevent progression to chronic pancreatitis. At present, endotherapy is typically pursued as a means to achieve symptom remission and reduce rates of recurrence, hospitalization, abdominal pain, narcotic use, and surgical intervention. However, evidence that endotherapy effectively alters the natural history of disease remains limited. This article reviews the recent literature on the efficacy of endoscopic intervention in the treatment RAP with a focus on high-quality prospective randomized controlled studies. Additional studies are needed to corroborate these findings.

Index versus delayed cholecystectomy in mild gallstone pancreatitis: results of a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Delayed cholecystectomy is associated with increased risk of biliary events. The objectives of the study were to confirm the superiority of index cholecystectomy over delayed operation in mild gallstone pancreatitis.

METHODS

Patients with mild gallstone pancreatitis were randomized into index-or delayed cholecystectomy (IC vs. DC). IC was performed within 48 h from randomization provided a stable or improved clinical condition. The primary outcome was gallstone-related events. Secondary outcomes were rates of cholecystectomy complications, common bile duct stones (CBDS) detected at cholecystectomy and patient reported quality-of-life and pain.

RESULTS

Sixty-six patients were randomized into IC (n = 32) or DC (n = 34) between May 2009 and July 2017. There were significantly higher rates of gallstone-related events in the DC compared with the IC group (nine patients vs. one patient, p = 0.013). No statistically significant differences could be demonstrated in cholecystectomy complications (p = 0.605) and CBDS discovered during cholecystectomy (p = 0.302) between the groups. Pain and emotional well-being measured by SF-36 were improved significantly in the IC group at follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Delayed cholecystectomy in mild gallstone pancreatitis can no longer be recommended since it is associated with an increased risk for recurrent gallstone-related events and impaired patient's reported outcomes.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

clinicaltrials.gov (ID: NCT02630433).

Safety and efficacy of extending a previous endoscopic sphincterotomy for the treatment of retained or recurrent common bile duct stones

Background:

The aim of the study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of extending a previous endoscopic sphincterotomy (ES) in patients with retained or recurrent common bile duct (CBD) stones.

Methods:

Between 2001 and 2013, extension of a previous ES, for known or suspected CBD stones, was performed in 118 patients (m/f, 53/65) with a median age of 74 (range: 31-91) years (group A). During the same period, ES was performed in 1064 patients with suspected or known choledocholithiasis (group B). The efficacy and complications of the extension (group A) were analyzed and a comparison was made between groups regarding complications.

Results:

Bile duct cannulation was straightforward in all patients in group A, while it was considered difficult in 49% of patients in group B. Complete clearance was achieved in 76/97 patients (78%) with CBD stones, after a mean of 1.18 attempts per patient. Mechanical lithotripsy was required in 10% of patients. After extension, immediate bleeding occurred in 24 patients (20%), which stopped spontaneously in 9 (37%) and endoscopic hemostasis was required in the remainder. Complications were more frequent in group B (5.3% vs. 0.8%, P=0.031), but there was no significant difference for any individual complication. Immediate bleeding was more common in group B (29% vs. 20%, P=0.035), but there was no difference in clinical bleeding.

Conclusion:

Extension of a previous ES seems to be a simple, effective and safe technique, allowing stone clearance in nearly 80% of patients; it is thus recommended in patients with CBD stones after ES.

Epidemiology of Recurrent Acute and Chronic Pancreatitis: Similarities and Differences

Emerging data in the past few years suggest that acute, recurrent acute (RAP), and chronic pancreatitis (CP) represent a disease continuum. This review discusses the similarities and differences in the epidemiology of RAP and CP. RAP is a high-risk group, comprised of individuals at varying risk of progression. The premise is that RAP is an intermediary stage in the pathogenesis of CP, and a subset of RAP patients during their natural course transition to CP. Although many clinical factors have been identified, accurately predicting the probability of disease course in individual patients remains difficult. Future studies should focus on providing more precise estimates of the risk of disease transition in a cohort of patients, quantification of clinical events during the natural course of disease, and discovery of biomarkers of the different stages of the disease continuum. Availability of clinically relevant endpoints and linked biomarkers will allow more accurate prediction of the natural course of disease over intermediate- or long-term-based characteristics of an individual patient. These endpoints will also provide objective measures for use in clinical trials of interventions that aim to alter the natural course of disease.

Small Gallstone Size and Delayed Cholecystectomy Increase the Risk of Recurrent Pancreatobiliary Complications After Resolved Acute Biliary Pancreatitis

INTRODUCTION

Acute biliary pancreatitis (ABP) is a severe complication of gallstone disease with considerable mortality, and its recurrence rate is reported as 50-90% for ABP patients who do not undergo cholecystectomy. However, the incidence of and risk factors for recurrent pancreatobiliary complications after the initial improvement of ABP are not well established in the literature. The aims of this study were to determine the risk factors for recurrent pancreatobiliary complications and to compare the outcomes between early (within 2 weeks after onset of pancreatitis) and delayed cholecystectomy in patients with ABP.

METHODS

Patients diagnosed with ABP at Yeungnam University Hospital from January 2004 to July 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. The following risk factors for recurrent pancreatobiliary complications (acute pancreatitis, acute cholecystitis, and acute cholangitis) were analyzed: demographic characteristics, laboratory data, size and number of gallstones, severity of pancreatitis, endoscopic sphincterotomy, and timing of cholecystectomy. Patients were categorized into two groups: patients with recurrent pancreatobiliary complications (Group A) and patients without pancreatobiliary complications (Group B).

RESULTS

Of the total 290 patients with ABP (age 66.8 ± 16.0 years, male 47.9%), 56 (19.3%) patients developed recurrent pancreatobiliary complications, of which 35 cases were acute pancreatitis, 11 cases were acute cholecystitis, and 10 cases were acute cholangitis. Endoscopic sphincterotomy and cholecystectomy were performed in 134 (46.2%) patients and 95 (32.8%) patients, respectively. Age, sex, BMI, diabetes, number of stone, severity of pancreatitis, and laboratory data were not significantly correlated with recurrent pancreatobiliary complications. The risk of recurrent pancreatobiliary complications was significantly increased in the delayed cholecystectomy group compared with the early cholecystectomy group (45.5 vs. 5.0%, p < 0.001). Based on the multivariate logistic regression analyses, two factors, size of gallstone less than or equal to 5 mm and delayed cholecystectomy, were found as risk factors associated with recurrent pancreatobiliary complications.

CONCLUSION

The incidence of recurrent pancreatobiliary complications was 19.3% and was significantly increased in patients with size of gallstone less than or equal to 5 mm and in those who underwent delayed cholecystectomy.

Factor analysis of recurrent biliary events in long-term follow up of gallstone pancreatitis

OBJECTIVE

Recurrent attacks after acute gallstone pancreatitis (GSP) are substantial problems, together with associated morbidity and mortality. The recommended therapies for recurrent attacks are cholecystectomy and endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST). This study aimed to evaluate the long-term results of cholecystectomy and EST after clinical improvement of GSP.

METHODS

A consecutive series of patients who were admitted with GSP from January 2003 to December 2014 were analyzed. Patients were categorized into three treatment subgroups: cholecystectomy (n = 53), EST (n = 51) and conservative care (n = 67).

RESULTS

A total of 171 patients were enrolled. The mean follow-up period was 58 months (range 6-125 months). The pancreatitis-induced in-hospital mortality rate was 1.5%. The cholecystectomy and EST groups had a significantly lower frequency of recurrent pancreatitis than the conservative care group (P < 0.01). For recurrent pancreatitis, there was no significant difference between the cholecystectomy with and without EST subgroups. With respect to total recurrent biliary events, the cholecystectomy group was superior to the EST only group (P < 0.01). In patients receiving definitive treatment (cholecystectomy with or without EST), the presence of common bile duct (CBD) stone was an independent risk factor for recurrent biliary events (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

In the long-term follow up of GSP, cholecystectomy can offer better protection against recurrent biliary events than EST only. The presence of CBD stones at time of definitive therapy might be a risk factor for recurrent biliary events.

[Efficiency of laparoscopic vs endoscopic management in cholelithiasis and choledocholithiasis. Is there any difference?]

BACKGROUND

Concomitant cholelithiasis and choledocholithiasis is a disease where incidence increases with age and can have serious complications such as pancreatitis, cholangitis and liver abscesses, but its management is controversial, because there are minimally invasive laparoscopic and endoscopic surgical procedures.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the efficiency in the management of cholelithiasis and choledocholithiasis with laparoscopic cholecystectomy with common bile duct exploration vs cholangiopancreatography endoscopic retrograde+laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

Retrospective analysis of a five year observational, cross sectional multicenter study of patients with cholelithiasis and concomitant high risk of choledocholithiasis who were divided into two groups and the efficiency of both procedures was compared. Group 1 underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy with common bile duct exploration and group 2 underwent cholangiopancreatography endoscopic retrograde+laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

RESULTS

40 patients, 20 were included in each group, we found p=0.10 in terms of operating time; when we compared hospital days we found p=0.63; the success of stone extraction by study group we obtained was p=0.15; the complications presented by group was p=0.1 and the number of hospitalizations by group was p ≤ 0.05 demonstrating statistical significance.

CONCLUSIONS

Both approaches have the same efficiency in the management of cholelithiasis and choledocholithiasis in terms of operating time, success in extracting stone, days of hospitalization, postoperative complications and conversion to open surgery. However the laparoscopic approach is favourable because it reduces the number of surgical anaesthetic events and the number of hospital admissions.

Outcomes of early versus delayed cholecystectomy in patients with mild to moderate acute biliary pancreatitis: A randomized prospective study

BACKGROUND

In patients with acute biliary pancreatitis (ABP), cholecystectomy is mandatory to prevent further biliary events, but the precise timing of cholecystectomy for mild to moderate disease remain a subject of ongoing debate. The aim of this study is to assess the outcomes of early versus delayed cholecystectomy. We hypothesize that early cholecystectomy as compared to delayed cholecystectomy reduces recurrent biliary events without a higher peri-operative complication rate.

METHODS

Patients with mild to moderate ABP were prospectively randomized to either an early cholecystectomy versus a delayed cholecystectomy group. Recurrent biliary events, peri-operative complications, conversion rate, length of surgery and total hospital length of stay between the two groups were evaluated.

RESULTS

A total of 72 patients were enrolled at a single public hospital. Of them, 38 were randomized to the early group and 34 patients to the delayed group. There were no differences regarding peri-operative complications (7.78% vs 11.76%; p = 0.700), conversion rate to open surgery (10.53% vs 11.76%; p = 1.000) and duration of surgery performed (80 vs 85 minutes, p = 0.752). Nevertheless, a greater rate of recurrent biliary events was found in the delayed group (44.12% vs 0%; p ≤ 0.0001) and the hospital length of stay was longer in the delayed group (9 vs 8 days, p = 0.002).

CONCLUSION

In mild to moderate ABP, early laparoscopic cholecystectomy reduces the risk of recurrent biliary events without an increase in operative difficulty or perioperative morbidity.

Does Endoscopic Sphincterotomy and/or Cholecystectomy Reduce Recurrence Rate of Acute Biliary Pancreatitis?

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Practice guidelines from international societies have recommended cholecystectomy during the same hospitalization for acute biliary pancreatitis (ABP). The aim of this study is to investigate the question of whether endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST) and/or cholecystectomy during the same hospitalization can reduce the recurrence rate of ABP.

METHODS

A total of 119 patients with ABP admitted to our institution between May 2005 and May 2010 who had complete follow-up data until May 2012 were enrolled.

RESULTS

No significant differences in initial CT severity index and Charlson comorbidity index were observed between EST (n = 64) and non-EST group (n = 55) and among subgroups classified according to interventions performed. In Kaplan-Meier analyses, significantly higher recurrence rates of ABP were observed in the non-EST group compared to the EST group (p <œ 0.01), and in the conservative treatment group compared to other intervention groups (p <œ 0.01). The frequency of complications from ABP was significantly higher in the conservative treatment group (35.7%) and lowest in the EST plus cholecystectomy group (5.0%, p = 0.008). In multivariate analysis, conservative treatment without EST and/or cholecystectomy, and non-EST group were independent risk factors for recurrence after the initial attack of ABP.

CONCLUSIONS

ERCP with EST and cholecystectomy during the index admission is associated with reduced recurrence rates of ABP.

Endoscopic sphincterotomy and cholecystectomy in acute biliary pancreatitis

BACKGROUND

This review discusses current insights with regard to biliary tract management during and after acute biliary pancreatitis.

METHODS

A MEDLINE and EMBASE search was done and studies were selected based on methodological quality and publication date. The recommendations of recent guidelines are incorporated in this review. In absence of consensus in the literature, expert opinion is expressed.

RESULTS

There is no role for early endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in patients with (predicted) mild biliary pancreatitis to improve outcome. In case of persisting choledocholithiasis, ERCP with stone extraction is scheduled electively when the acute event has subsided. Whether early ERCP with sphincterotomy is beneficial in patients with predicted severe pancreatitis remains subject to debate. Regardless of disease severity, in case of concomitant cholangitis urgent endoscopic sphincterotomy (ES) is recommended. As a definitive treatment to reduce the risk of recurrent biliary events in the long term, ES is inferior to cholecystectomy and should be reserved for patients considered unfit for surgery. After severe biliary pancreatitis, cholecystectomy should be postponed until all signs of inflammation have subsided. In patients with mild pancreatitis, cholecystectomy during the primary admission reduces the risk of recurrent biliary complications.

CONCLUSION

Recent research has provided valuable data to guide biliary tract management in the setting of acute biliary pancreatitis with great value and benefit for patients and clinicians. Some important clinical dilemmas remain, but it is anticipated that on-going clinical trials will deliver some important insights and additional guidance soon.

Gallstone pancreatitis: a review

Gallstone disease is the most common cause of acute pancreatitis in the Western world. In most cases, gallstone pancreatitis is a mild and self-limiting disease, and patients may proceed without complications to cholecystectomy to prevent future recurrence. Severe disease occurs in about 20% of cases and is associated with significant mortality; meticulous management is critical. A thorough understanding of the disease process, diagnosis, severity stratification, and principles of management is essential to the appropriate care of patients presenting with this disease. This article reviews these topics with a focus on surgical management, including appropriate timing and choice of interventions.

Early management of acute pancreatitis

Acute pancreatitis is the most common gastro-intestinal indication for acute hospitalization and its incidence continues to rise. In severe pancreatitis, morbidity and mortality remains high and is mainly driven by organ failure and infectious complications. Early management strategies should aim to prevent or treat organ failure and to reduce infectious complications. This review addresses the management of acute pancreatitis in the first hours to days after onset of symptoms, including fluid therapy, nutrition and endoscopic retrograde cholangiography. This review also discusses the recently revised Atlanta classification which provides new uniform terminology, thereby facilitating communication regarding severity and complications of pancreatitis.

Long term outcome of acute pancreatitis in Italy: results of a multicentre study

BACKGROUND

In Italy, no long-term studies regarding the natural history of acute pancreatitis have been carried out.

AIM

To report the results of a follow-up on a large series of patients hospitalised for pancreatitis.

METHODS

Data of 631 patients admitted to 35 Italian hospitals were retrospectively evaluated 51.7±8.4 months after discharge.

RESULTS

The average recovery time after mild or severe pancreatitis was 28.2 and 53.4 days respectively. Fourteen sequelae were not resolved and 9 cases required late surgical intervention. Eighty patients (12.7%) had a second hospital admission. Of the patients with mild biliary pancreatitis, 67.9% underwent a cholecystectomy. The overall incidence of relapse was 12.7%. Mortality was 9.8% and no death was related to pancreatitis. Three patients died from carcinoma of the pancreas.

CONCLUSION

Reported recovery time after an attack of pancreatitis was longer than expected in the mild forms. The treatment of sequelae was delayed beyond one year after discharge. The incidence of relapse of biliary pancreatitis in patients not undergoing a cholecystectomy was low, due to endoscopic treatment. Mortality from pancreatic-related causes is low, but there is an association with malignant pancreatic or ampullary tumours not diagnosed during the acute phase of the illness.

Pancreatitis of biliary origin, optimal timing of cholecystectomy (PONCHO trial): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background

After an initial attack of biliary pancreatitis, cholecystectomy minimizes the risk of recurrent biliary pancreatitis and other gallstone-related complications. Guidelines advocate performing cholecystectomy within 2 to 4 weeks after discharge for mild biliary pancreatitis. During this waiting period, the patient is at risk of recurrent biliary events. In current clinical practice, surgeons usually postpone cholecystectomy for 6 weeks due to a perceived risk of a more difficult dissection in the early days following pancreatitis and for logistical reasons. We hypothesize that early laparoscopic cholecystectomy minimizes the risk of recurrent biliary pancreatitis or other complications of gallstone disease in patients with mild biliary pancreatitis without increasing the difficulty of dissection and the surgical complication rate compared with interval laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Methods/Design

PONCHO is a randomized controlled, parallel-group, assessor-blinded, superiority multicenter trial. Patients are randomly allocated to undergo early laparoscopic cholecystectomy, within 72 hours after randomization, or interval laparoscopic cholecystectomy, 25 to 30 days after randomization. During a 30-month period, 266 patients will be enrolled from 18 hospitals of the Dutch Pancreatitis Study Group. The primary endpoint is a composite endpoint of mortality and acute re-admissions for biliary events (that is, recurrent biliary pancreatitis, acute cholecystitis, symptomatic/obstructive choledocholithiasis requiring endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreaticography including cholangitis (with/without endoscopic sphincterotomy), and uncomplicated biliary colics) occurring within 6 months following randomization. Secondary endpoints include the individual endpoints of the composite endpoint, surgical and other complications, technical difficulty of cholecystectomy and costs.

Discussion

The PONCHO trial is designed to show that early laparoscopic cholecystectomy (within 72 hours) reduces the combined endpoint of mortality and re-admissions for biliary events as compared with interval laparoscopic cholecystectomy (between 25 and 30 days) after recovery of a first episode of mild biliary pancreatitis.

Trial registration

Current Controlled Trials: ISRCTN72764151

Survey of the management of acute pancreatitis in surgical departments in Sweden

OBJECTIVE

Several international guidelines concerning the treatment of acute pancreatitis has been published during the last decades. However, Scandinavian guidelines are still lacking. The aim of the present study is to identify current treatment strategies for acute pancreatitis in Sweden and to evaluate if there is a need for improvement and the role of guidelines.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A questionnaire was e-mailed to the surgical departments at all Swedish hospitals (n = 58) managing patients with acute pancreatitis. Comparisons were made both between university and non-university hospitals, and between hospitals with more versus less than 150,000 persons in the primary catchment population.

RESULTS

Fifty-one hospitals responded (88%). In median, 65 (12-200) patients with acute pancreatitis are treated yearly at each hospital. Of 51 hospitals, 18 perform a severity classification, with APACHE II being the most commonly used. A majority are of the opinion that a scoring system is not better than the judgment of a senior consultant. In severe acute pancreatitis, 29/48 routinely administer antibiotics, 29/48 use enteral nutrition, and 25/49 have a standardized follow-up plan. The majority considered administration of intravenous fluids as the most important treatment in severe acute pancreatitis. After mild gallstone-induced acute pancreatitis, the corresponding response was cholecystectomy, especially at larger hospitals (p = 0.002). Of 47, 42 are interested in developing a Scandinavian quality register.

CONCLUSIONS

The results from this first Swedish national survey provide an insight into current traditions of treatment of acute pancreatitis and points, for example, at the lack of early severity stratification. A majority of hospitals are interested in developing a quality register in acute pancreatitis.

Definitive management of gallstone pancreatitis in England

INTRODUCTION

The aim of this study was to investigate whether definitive treatment of gallstone pancreatitis (GSP) by either cholecystectomy or endoscopic sphincterotomy in England conforms with British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG) guidelines and to validate these guidelines.

METHODS

Hospital Episode Statistics data were used to identify patients admitted for the first time with GSP between April 2007 and April 2008. These patients were followed until April 2009 to identify any who underwent definitive treatment or were readmitted with a further bout of GSP as an emergency.

RESULTS

A total of 5,454 patients were admitted with GSP between April 2007 and April 2008, of whom 1,866 (34.2%) underwent definitive treatment according to BSG guidelines, 1,471 on the index admission. Patients who underwent a cholecystectomy during the index admission were less likely to be readmitted with a further bout of GSP (1.7%) than those who underwent endoscopic sphincterotomy alone (5.3%) or those who did not undergo any form of definitive treatment (13.2%). Of those patients who did not undergo definitive treatment before discharge, 2,239 received definitive treatment following discharge but only 395 (17.6%) of these had this within 2 weeks. Of the 505 patients who did not undergo definitive treatment on the index admission and who were readmitted as an emergency with GSP, 154 (30.5%) were admitted during the 2 weeks immediately following discharge.

CONCLUSIONS

Following an attack of mild GSP, cholecystectomy should be offered to all patients prior to discharge. If patients are not fit for surgery, an endoscopic sphincterotomy should be performed as definitive treatment.

Timing of cholecystectomy after mild biliary pancreatitis: a systematic review

OBJECTIVES

To determine the risk of recurrent biliary events in the period after mild biliary pancreatitis but before interval cholecystectomy and to determine the safety of cholecystectomy during the index admission.

BACKGROUND

Although current guidelines recommend performing cholecystectomy early after mild biliary pancreatitis, consensus on the definition of early (ie, during index admission or within the first weeks after hospital discharge) is lacking.

METHODS

We performed a systematic search in PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane for studies published from January 1992 to July 2010. Included were cohort studies of patients with mild biliary pancreatitis reporting on the timing of cholecystectomy, number of readmissions for recurrent biliary events before cholecystectomy, operative complications (eg, bile duct injury, bleeding), and mortality. Study quality and risks of bias were assessed.

RESULTS

After screening 2413 studies, 8 cohort studies and 1 randomized trial describing 998 patients were included. Cholecystectomy was performed during index admission in 483 patients (48%) without any reported readmissions. Interval cholecystectomy was performed in 515 patients (52%) after 40 days (median; interquartile range: 19-58 days). Before interval cholecystectomy, 95 patients (18%) were readmitted for recurrent biliary events (0% vs 18%, P < 0.0001). These included recurrent biliary pancreatitis (n = 43, 8%), acute cholecystitis (n = 17), and biliary colics (n = 35). Patients who had an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography had fewer recurrent biliary events (10% vs 24%, P = 0.001), especially less recurrent biliary pancreatitis (1% vs 9%). There were no differences in operative complications, conversion rate (7%), and mortality (0%) between index and interval cholecystectomy. Because baseline characteristics were only reported in 26% of patients, study populations could not be compared.

CONCLUSIONS

Interval cholecystectomy after mild biliary pancreatitis is associated with a high risk of readmission for recurrent biliary events, especially recurrent biliary pancreatitis. Cholecystectomy during index admission for mild biliary pancreatitis appears safe, but selection bias could not be excluded.

Early cholecystectomy and ERCP are associated with reduced readmissions for acute biliary pancreatitis: a nationwide, population-based study

BACKGROUND

Cholecystectomy is recommended during hospitalizations for acute biliary pancreatitis (ABP).

OBJECTIVE

We sought to assess the population-based effectiveness of index cholecystectomy by using nationwide data.

DESIGN

Retrospective, cohort study.

SETTING

All acute-care hospitals in Canada from 2007 to 2010.

PATIENTS

This study involved patients admitted for ABP in the Canadian Institutes for Health Information hospital discharge database.

INTERVENTION

Cholecystectomy and therapeutic ERCP during the index admission.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS

Rate of hospital readmissions for ABP.

RESULTS

Among 5646 patients with ABP, 32% underwent cholecystectomy and 22% ERCP during the index admissions. Patients admitted to hospitals in the highest quartile for cholecystectomy volume were more than 10-fold likely to undergo cholecystectomy during the index admission (adjusted odds ratio 11.0; 95% confidence interval [CI], 7.4-16.5). The 12-month readmission rate for ABP was lower with cholecystectomy (5.6% vs 14.0%; P < .0001) and therapeutic ERCP (5.1% vs 13.1%; P < .0001). After multivariate adjustment, lower readmission rates were independently associated with both cholecystectomy (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 0.39; 95% CI, 0.32-0.48) and ERCP (adjusted HR 0.37; 95% CI, 0.29-0.50). After excluding early readmissions (within 28 days of discharge), the adjusted HR for cholecystectomy was 0.43 (95% CI, 0.34-0.57). The admitting hospital's cholecystectomy volume was inversely associated with 12-month readmission rates for ABP (quartile 1, 15.9%; quartile 2, 13.9%; quartile 3, 11.3%; quartile 4, 10.0%; P < .001).

LIMITATIONS

The study was based on hospital administrative data.

CONCLUSION

Cholecystectomy and ERCP during the index admission were associated with reduced readmission rates for ABP, providing population-based evidence to support consensus guidelines that recommend early biliary intervention.

What have we learned about acute pancreatitis in children?

Pediatric pancreatitis has received much attention during the past few years. Numerous reports have identified an increasing trend in the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis in children and key differences in disease presentation and management between infants and older children. The present review provides a brief, evidence-based focus on the latest progress in the clinical field. It also poses important questions for emerging multicenter registries to answer about the natural history and management of affected children with pancreatitis.

Surgical treatment of acute pancreatitis today

Az enyhe akut pancreatitis kezelése alapvetően konzervatív, míg súlyos esetekben a sebészi kezelésnek jelentős szerepe van. Módszer: A szerzők az utóbbi 10 évben megjelent, a műtét kérdéseit taglaló közlemények alapján elemzik a sebészi kezelés indikációit, időzítését és a műtét technikai kérdéseit. Eredmények/következtetések: A steril pancreasnecrosis csak ritkán, a szeptikus necrosis azonban műtéti indikációt képez, ha a konzervatív kezelés eredménytelen. A terápiarezisztens sokszervi elégtelenség, a súlyos hasi kompartmentszindróma és egyéb sebészi szövődmény, mint a vérzés, perforáció is műtéti beavatkozást tesz szükségessé. Pancreatitist okozó epekövesség talaján kialakult cholestasis esetén sürgős endoszkópos sphincterotomia és később cholecystectomia javasolt. Pancreasnecrosis esetén a műtét ideális időpontja a betegség kezdetétől számított 21. nap utánra tehető, mivel a „korai” műtétek szövődmény- és halálozási aránya magas. Fontos a gondos necrectomia, amelynek a retrocolicus és retroduodenalis terekre is ki kell terjednie. A nyitott has kezelésének több a szövődménye, ezért csak válogatott esetekben javasolják. A műtétet posztoperatív bursa omentalis lavage-zsal érdemes kiegészíteni. Orv. Hetil., 2010, 41, 1697–1701.