PANCREATIC-ENZYME SECRETION AND PANCREATIC PSEUDOCYSTS IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC-PANCREATITIS

Conclusions. Pseudocyst contents are not indicative of pancreatic func tion, We presume that the nonresolving pseudocysts did not resolve bec ause they were noncommunicating, The question of the kinetics of secre tion into pancreatic pseudocysts is still unresolved. Background. Pseu docysts are one of the complications of chronic pancreatitis. We wante d to investigate whether it is of any value to measure enzyme activiti es (amylase and lipase) in pseudocyst contents, in order to answer the following questions: Is the enzymatic activity: 1. Reproducible in co nsecutive punctures of the same cyst; 2. Related to cyst age; 3. Indic ative for the risk of relapse; and 4. Representative of exocrine pancr eatic function. Methods. In a retrospective study we examined 28 patie nts with chronic pancreatitis complicated with pancreatic pseudocysts. Results. Reproducibility of enzyme activity in cyst juice in consecut ive punctures of the same cyst was poor, We did not observe any correl ation between enzyme activity and cyst age defined as the time between two cyst punctures. Enzyme activity in cyst juice was without indicat ion for the risk of relapse. No correlation between enzyme activity an d exocrine pancreatic function was found. The pseudocyst contents are not pancreatic juice in the common sense of the word.