The authors analysed the results of the treatment of 24 patients with acute necrotizing pancreatitis. Besides intensive and operative treatment prophylactic antibiotics, early naso-jejunal feeding, CT guided percutaneous peripancreatic drainage are favourable to avoid septic complications and to postpone the first operation. In 11 patients percutaneous drainage was performed. Using percutaneous drainage three patients (33.3%) recovered without operation, the mean drainage time was 23.4 days. The first operation could be postponed in the other 8 patients after percutaneous drainage. No complications occurred as result of the interventions, although in one patient the drain slipped out spontaneously. Due to the complex treatment the total mortality rate was 12.5%.