Acute necrotizing pancreatitis is still associated with high morbidity and mortality. In this prospective clinical trial, we analyzed the effect of octreotide in patients with acute pancreatitis. Eight patients received either 3 x 100, 3 x 200 or 3 x 500 micrograms octreotide subcutaneously per day over a period of 10 days. The complication rate was lower in the group of patients who received 3 x 200 or 3 x 500 micrograms octreotide than in the control group and the group of patients who received the dosis of 3 x 100 micrograms octreotide per day. The results of this study are promising and must be validated in a controlled clinical trial with octreotide in a larger patient population.