Infection of (Peri-)Pancreatic Necrosis Is Associated with Increased Rates of Adverse Events during Endoscopic Drainage: A Retrospective Study

Pancreatic necroses are a major challenge in the treatment of patients with pancreatitis, causing high morbidity. When indicated, these lesions are usually drained endoscopically using plastic or metal stents. However, data on factors associated with the occurrence of failure or adverse events during stent therapy are scarce. We retrospectively analyzed all adverse events and their associated features which occurred in patients who underwent a first-time endoscopic drainage of pancreatic necrosis from 2009 to 2019. During the observation period, a total of 89 eligible cases were identified. Adverse events occurred in 58.4% of the cases, of which 76.9% were minor (e.g., stent dislocation, residual lesions, or stent obstruction). However, these events triggered repeated interventions (63.5% vs. 0%, p < 0.001) and prolonged hospital stays (21.0 [11.8-63.0] vs. 14.0 [7.0-31.0], p = 0.003) compared to controls without any adverse event. Important factors associated with the occurrence of adverse events during endoscopic drainage therapy were positive necrosis cultures (6.1 [2.3-16.1], OR [95% CI], p < 0.001) and a larger diameter of the treated lesion (1.3 [1.1-1.5], p < 0.001). Superinfection of pancreatic necrosis is the most significant factor increasing the likelihood of adverse events during endoscopic drainage. Therefore, control of infection is crucial for successful drainage therapy, and future studies need to consider superinfection of pancreatic necrosis as a possible confounding factor when comparing different therapeutic modalities.