Photo Credit: Vladislav Stepanov
The following is a summary of “Video-assisted retroperitoneal debridement for necrotizing pancreatitis: a single center experience in Colombia,” published in the October 2024 issue of Surgery by Chaves et al.
Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a prevalent and potentially life-threatening condition, with 10% to 20% of cases progressing to necrotizing pancreatitis (NP).
Researchers conducted a prospective cohort study to describe the outcomes of video-assisted retroperitoneal debridement (VARD) for NP in a Colombian center.
They performed a study (2016 to 2024) that included patients over 18 who underwent VARD for NP, collecting demographic, clinical variables, and postoperative outcomes.
The results showed that 12 patients underwent VARD, with a mean age of 55.9 years (SD 13.73). Bile origin was the most frequent cause of pancreatitis, accounting for 90.1% of cases. The mean time from diagnosis to surgical management was 78.5 days (SD 22.93), and the mean size of the pancreatic collection was 10.5 cm (SD 3.51), with no intraoperative complications reported. The mean in-hospital length of stay was 65.18 days (SD 26.46), with 1 patient dying within the 30-day follow-up and 1 patient experiencing an incisional hernia 1 year after the procedure. In contrast, no evidence of endocrine insufficiency at follow-up was reported.
They concluded that VARD showed similar outcomes to those reported in existing literature, and a standardized approach following the step-up method minimizes the need for postoperative drainages. Long-term follow-up is necessary to assess potential pancreatic insufficiency.
Source: bmcsurg.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12893-024-02586-x
