Diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic pseudocysts and cystic tumors based on own material and quoted literature

Pseudocysts constitute the most basic cystic lesions of the pancreas. Symptomatic cysts may be treated by means of both minimally invasive methods and surgery. Currently, it is believed that approximately 5% of cystic lesions in the pancreas may in fact, be neoplastic cystic tumors. Their presence is manifested by generally irregular multilocular structures, solid nodules inside the cyst or in the pancreatic duct, frequently vascularized, as well as fragmentary thickening of the cystic wall or septation. AIM: The aim of this paper was to present current management, both diagnostic and therapeutic, in patients with pancreatic pseudocysts and cystic tumors. The article has been written based on the material collected and prepared in the author's Department as well as on the basis of current reports found in the quoted literature. MATERIAL AND METHODS, RESULTS: In 2000–2012, the Second Department of General, Gastrointestinal and Oncological Surgery of the Alimentary Tract treated 179 patients with cystic lesions in the region of the pancreas. This group comprised 12 cases of cystic tumors and 167 pseudocysts. Twenty-three patients (13.8%) were monitored only and 144 received procedural treatment. Out of the latter group, 75 patients underwent drainage procedures and 48 were qualified to endoscopic cystogastrostomy or cystoduodenostomy. The endoscopic procedure was unsuccessful in 11 cases (23%). In a group of patients with a pancreatic cystic tumor (12 patients), 6 of them (50%) underwent therapeutic resection of the tumor with adequate fragment of the gland. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic drainage is an effective and safe method of minimally invasive treatment of pancreatic cysts. The patients who do not qualify to endoscopic procedures require surgical treatment. The differentiation of a neoplasm from a typical cyst is of fundamental significance for the selection of the treatment method.