Surgical management of pancreatic pseudocysts.

Pancreatic pseudocyst is a complication of pancreatitis or pancreatic trauma. A review of the experience with surgical treatment of pseudocyst of the pancreas at the University of Iowa was carried out. Pancreatitis associated with alcoholism accounted for a smaller percentage of the pseudocysts than is usually reported and reflects the nature of the population. Internal drainage of the pseudocyst obviates the development of pancreatic fistula which is often associated with external drainage; however, the mortality for each method of drainage was comparable.