SPONTANEOUS INTERNAL DRAINAGE OF A PANCREATIC PSEUDOCYST - A CASE-REPORT

A 72 year old patient was admitted to our department with progressive abdominal symptoms caused by chronic pancreatitis. Physical examinatio n and laboratory data were unremarkable, ultrasound showed a cystic le sion beneath the pancreatic head. Initial endoscopic examination demon strated a duodenal stenosis; in the second examination the stenosis ha d resolved by spontaneous perforation of the pseudocyst into the duode nal bulb. Pancreatic and peri-pancreatic pseudocysts are common in. ac ute and chronic pancreatitis; the frequency of their diagnosis increas ed following the advent of ultrasonography and computed tomography as diagnostic tools and more intensive clinical monitoring. Our knowledge about the incidental course of the disease is still limited. When the diagnosis is established, a lot of questions referring to the choice of therapeutic regime conservative treatment percutaneous intervention , endoscopic or surgical procedures arise. Therapeutic possibilities a nd their advantages are discussed.