Quality of life following acute necrotizing pancreatitis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The authors examine the quality of life of patients treated for acute necrotizing pancreatitis an average of 37.8 months following their illness.

METHODOLOGY

The questionnaire used in the examinations was a version of the Short Form-36 (SF-36) which was adapted to a Hungarian environment and included additional questions regarding the patient's illness. During the treatment of the pancreatic necrosis, prophylactic antibiotic treatment, early nasojejunal feeding, percutaneous peripancreatic drainage, and late surgical necrectomy was used. Postoperatively the lavage of the closed omental bursa was performed.

RESULTS

It was determined that 77.3% of patients considered their quality of life to be good or fair. Quality of life was considered worse in older patients, patients with complaints of abdominal distension and bowel problems, patients who had lost significant amounts of weight since their illness, patients with poor appetite, and patients who were female.

CONCLUSIONS

The long-term result, and the quality of life after acute necrotizing pancreatitis is good.