The Role of Pancreatic Resection in the Treatment of Pancreatic Pseudocysts

Complicated pancreatic pseudocysts, including multiple pseudocysts, those that have failed prior internal or external drainage, those with associated biliary or pancreatic duct strictures, and those where the diagnosis of cystic neoplasm cannot be excluded, pose unique problems in terms of treatment by standard internal or external drainage techniques. In the series reported herein, pancreatic resection (pylorus-sparing pancreaticoduodenectomy or distal pancreatectomy) was used to treat patients with these complicated pseudocysts resulting in a 59% morbidity rate, 3% mortality rate, and 6% recurrence rate. Results from a collective series of 152 patients from the literature support these findings. Although pancreatic resection has a limited role in the management of patients with uncomplicated pancreatic pseudocysts, it is the treatment of choice in patients with complicated pancreatic pseudocysts.