Percutaneous drainage of pancreatic pseudocysts and abscesses.

The use of percutaneous drainage is reported in 6 patients with pancreatic pseudocysts and 6 patients with pancreatic abscesses. There have been no recurrences in the patients with pseudocysts. The success of the procedure is attributed to providing catheter drainage until the cavity was obliterated (mean time, 8 days), rather than using a single-needle aspiration. Percutaneous drainage of 6 pancreatic abscesses allowed desperately ill patients to improve enough to undergo elective surgery, and obviated surgery in 3 patients. The technique was performed without complications in all cases. Percutaneous drainage should find a significant place in the management of patients with complications of pancreatitis.