Skip to main content

Pancreatitis..fasting,Antibiotics and Surgery..What is new?





This is a kind of Practice changing piece of data in the management of acute Pancreatitis. Here is the summary of updated literature, and it covers the recent updated in the three pillars of acute pancreatitis management

1-feeding..the question is to feed or not?
2-Antibiotics..the question is to give or not?
3-Surgery..the question to do or not?

Here are the answers

Regarding Feeding, the answer is "FEED ", Cochrane review in 2010  reached the conclusion – feed patients. In fact fasting has not been shown to help and probably increases the length of admission.  it is always taught that  feeding can increase enzyme production and cause “auto-digestion” – but according to the recent evidence it just aren’t so – they get better quicker and don’t suffer worse inflammation / mortality etc.  And if you have a nasogastric tube in – then that is fine – it does not need to be a nasojejunal tube to avoid the dreaded enzymes.

Now the second Question, Antibiotics to give or not? The old minded school always propose that acute pancreatitis is a sterile process and no need for antibiotics.
However things change and IV Abs have been used in the severe, necrotic end of the spectrum of disease with some benefit. A meta-analysis in Annals of Surgery suggested a benefit – but it was not an overwhelming one to my reading.  However this review suggested IV meropenem was a good thing for a necrotic collection.

The last question is Shall we take the patient to OR? The short answer is – not initially, a delayed surgical strategy seems to be beneficial. Surgery is probably best reserved for the true necrotic collection (necrosectomy) with a washout.


Evidence-Based Treatment of Acute Pancreatitis
A Look at Established Paradigms
Stefan Heinrich, MD,* Markus Schäfer, MD,* Valentin Rousson, PhD, and Pierre-Alain Clavien, MD, PhD*
Ann Surg. 2006 February; 243(2): 154–168
\
Enteral versus parenteral nutrition for acute pancreatitisMohammed Al-Omran1,*, Zaina H AlBalawi2, Mariam F Tashkandi3, Lubna A Al-Ansary4

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Things to Avoid in Anesthesia for Pregnant with Pulmonary hypertension

Anesthesia for Pregnant woman with Pulmonary Hypertension is a real challenge for anesthesiologist. It is very crucial to remember the pathophysiology of pulmonary hypertension in pregnant women and to avoid some practices that will worsen the cardiac status. 1-Avoid single shot spinal anesthesia. Some authorities consider pulmonary hypertension as absolute contraindication for single shot spinal anesthesia specially in patients with NYHA III ,IV. Spinal anesthesia causes major hemodynamic instability(decrease SVR, decrease VR, decrease in CO) The preferred neuroaxial techniques are (epidural anesthesia and CSE with minimal spinal dose) 2-Avoid PAC. Pulmonary Artery catheters insertion may lead to pulmonary artery rupture or thrombosis. TEE is better cardiac monitor/Arteial line is mandatory. 3-Avoid Nitrous oxide in gas mixture.N2O increase the PVR 4-If MV to be started, avoid High TV and PEEP 5-Avoid Oxytocin Boluses, or rapid administration of Pitocin. Oxytocin causes ...

power injectable peripherally inserted central catheters

Clinical experience with power injectable peripherally inserted central catheters in intensive care patients     Introduction In intensive care units (ICU), peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC) may be an alternative option to standard central venous catheters, particularly in patients with coagulation disorders or at high risk for infection. Some limits of PICCs (such as low flow rates) may be overcome by the use of power-injectable catheters . Method We have retrospectively reviewed all the power injectable PICCs inserted in adult and pediatric patients in the ICU during a 12-month period, focusing on the rate of complications at insertion and during maintenance. Results We have collected 89 power injectable PICCs (in adults and in children), both multiple and single lumen. All insertions were successful. There were no major complications at insertion and no episodes of catheter-related blood stream infection. Non-infective complications ...

Lumbar and thoracic epidural in Pediatrics-Technical aspect

The midline approach is most commonly used. The ligamentum   flavum is considerably thinner and less dense in infants than in older children and adults. This makes recognition of engagement in the ligament more difficult and requires both extra care and slower, more deliberate passage of the needle to avoid subarachnoid puncture. The angle of approach to the epidural space is slightly more perpendicular to the plane of the back than in older children and adults, owing to the orientation of the spinous   processes in infants and small children. The loss of resistance technique should be used, but only with saline, not air. There are several reports of venous air embolism in infants and children when air was used to test for loss of resistance Use a short (5 cm) 18-gauge Tuohy needle and a 20- or 21-gauge catheter in infants and children. Epidural kits specifically for infants and children are available Maximum of 0.4 mg/kg/hr of bupivacaine after the initial block is estab...