Pancreatic pseudocysts are localized collections of pancreatic-enzyme-rich fluid usually associated with inflammatory, traumatic and neoplastic conditions of the pancreas and originating in or adjacent to the pancreas.
When they have become big pancreatic cysts may be visible as firm, rounded swelling in the upper abdomen. Initially, the cyst may sound resonant, like a drum, due to loops of gas-filled intestine fronting its location; eventually the mass sounds dull. Cysts may form within the pancreas of patients with cystic fibrosis, and cystic pancreatic lesions have also been reported in children.
Symptoms. When the cysts are still small they do not cause any trouble, but larger pancreatic cysts make their presence felt through abdominal and/or back pains, as they start pressing on nearby tissues. Those cysts located at the head of the pancreas can exert pressure on the common bile duct and cause jaundice. When it does, your skin and eyes become yellowish. Sometimes, pseudocysts get inflamed and one will feel feverish followed by chills.
Treatment. Many times, the pancreatic pseudo-cysts do not require treatment and simply quiet down within a few weeks. However, there are some pseudo pancreatic cysts that do require some intervention since they persist even after six weeks have elapsed. Some get big enough to cause abdominal pains as they interfere with normal movement of materials through the stomach and duodenum, or they can get infected.
In such cases, they may be drained by percutaneous (via special needles under ultrasound guidance), endoscopic or surgical procedures. The type and degree of intervention varies, depending on the expertise of the physicians, but overall, doctors are veering away from surgical intervention and favoring non-surgical drainage.
True pancreatic cysts may require surgical excision if the doctor determines them to be cancerous. This determination is thus the first and most important care in managing the condition, to ascertain whether surgery is needed.
A healthy lifestyle helps minimise the risks of pancreatitis, which is a common culprit in the formation of the more common pseudocysts. With proper diet management and with control in the use of alcohol, one may not have to worry about ever getting pancreatic cysts.
