[Pancreatitis predominantly affecting the caudal part of the pancreas].

The characteristics of specific features of acute and chronic processes in the caudal pancreatis and surrounding retroperitoneal fat is given on the basis of an analysis of 273 cases of pancreatitis with the predominant lesion of this portion. It was established that acute caudal pancreonecrosis at an early period had atypical symptoms and more favourable course than that of the proximal parts of the pancreas. Later periods of the development of this variant of the disease are characterized by great frequency and spread of pyo-necrotic lesion of the retroperitoneal fat. Specific features of the clinical course, diagnosis and treatment were formulated and their being taken into account allowed to reduce lethality of patients with caudal pancreatitis from 39.0% to 25.0%.