Pancreatic ascites.

Two patients with pancreatic ascites secondary to acute pancreatitis are presented. Successful drainage was carried out in one patient with distal pancreatectomy and Roux-en-Y pancreaticojejunostomy and in the other by cystoduodenostomy. Most cases of pancreatic ascites are due to a mild peritoneal reaction casued by inactivated pancreatic enzymes liberated after ductal or pseudocyst disruption. A majority of cases are successfully treated by surgical correction of the underlying pathology.