Background: Pancreatic pseudocyst is a major health problem in the developed countries and its incidence is noted to be getting higher among the Caucasians as a result of better diagnostic techniques. This retrospective study was done to review the cases of pancreatic pseudocyst seen between 1991 and 1999 at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. The 5 cases seen over this period of study were used to illustrate its rarity.
Method: The case notes of the patients managed for pancreatic pseudocyst during the period under review were studied and analysed to evaluate the different modes of presentation, investigations done and the modes of treatment.
Results: The age range of the patients varied between 23 and 70 years with three of them being male while two were female. The most common presenting symptom and sign were abdominal pain and abdominal mass. Abdominal ultrasonography, chest X-ray, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and laboratory blood tests were the investigative procedures carried out. The treatment modalities were either conservative or surgical (operative). One patient had spontaneous resolution of the pseudocyst, 2 had external drainage while the remaining 2 had cystogastrostomy. Two of the patients responded well to treatment and were being followed up in the Surgical Out Patient Clinic, one died within 24 hours of surgery while the other developed diabetes mellitus 3 months post surgery and was referred to the physicians for follow-up.
Conclusion: Though pancreatic pseudocyst remains uncommon in Nigeria, ultrasonography can play an essential role in assisting diagnosis while successful management of this condition is still possible in the absence of current endoscopic techniques of drainage.