The factors effecting morbidity and mortality in surgical treatment of severe necrotizing pancreatitis

Abstract

Necrotizing pancreatitis is the most severe form of acute pancreatitis with high morbidity and mortality rates. In this retrospective study we report our experience with 22 patients (17 men, 5 women with a mean age of 52.714) who were operated on at Akdeniz University School of Medicine Department of General Surgery, from February 1993 to July 2000 and define the factors affecting the morbidity and mortality in surgical treatment of NP. Diagnosis of NP and decision of laparotomy was performed by clinical findings and contrast-enhanced abdominal computed tomography (CT). The patients with pancreatic and peripancreatic necrosis confirmed intraoperatively included to the study. All patients had required intensive care therapy. The relationship between mortality/morbidity and with demographic and clinical data of patients, APACHE II score, presence of multiple organ dysfunction (MOD), and local-regional complications (LRC) was examined. The Fischer Chi-Square test was used to evaluate statistical significance and p < 0.05 was accepted as meaningful. The mean number of reoperations were 4.44.9 (1 to 23). Local-regional complications were observed in 17 (77%) patients and mostly consisted of intra-abdominal abscess (15 patients). The overall hospital mortality rate was 36% (8 of 22 patients died). In the 7 patients with low APACHE-II score on admission (< or = 10) no mortality was encountered. Eight of 15 patients with high APACHE-II score (> 10) on admission were died. Multiple-organ dysfunction developed in 7 (32%) patients and 6 (86%) of them died. Two of the 15 patients (13%) died without MOD. In conclusion, poor outcome was associated with high APACHE-II score (> 10) on admission (p = 0.02), and progression of MOD (p = 0.002) during the treatment. Local-regional complications increase the hospital stay and frequency of surgical interventions but these complications do not effect the mortality in negative manner in the surgical treatment of NP.