Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a severe inflammatory disease characterized by self-digestion of pancreatic tissue and inflammatory responses. Recent studies have revealed a close connection between gut microbiota and AP. The gut microbiota community, a complex ecosystem composed of trillions of microorganisms, is closely associated with various physiological activities of the host, including metabolic processes, immune system regulation, and intestinal structure maintenance. However, in patients with AP, dysbiosis of the gut microbiota are believed to play a key role in the occurrence and progression of the disease. This dysbiosis not only impairs the integrity of the intestinal barrier, but may also exacerbate inflammatory responses through multiple mechanisms, thereby affecting the severity of the disease and patient' clinical prognosis. This article reviews the mechanisms of action of gut microbiota in AP, explores how gut microbiota dysbiosis affects disease progression, and evaluates current clinical treatment methods to regulate intestinal flora, including probiotic supplementation, fecal microbiota transplantation, antibiotic therapy, and early enteral nutrition. In addition, this article discusses the efficacy and safety of the aforementioned therapeutic approaches, and outlines future research directions, aiming to provide novel perspectives and strategies for the diagnosis, treatment and prognostic evaluation of AP. Through in-depth understanding the interaction between gut microbiota and AP, it is expected that more precise and personalized therapeutic regimens will be developed to improve patients' quality of life and clinical outcomes.
Humans ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Dysbiosis ; Pancreatitis/microbiology* ; Fecal Microbiota Transplantation ; Probiotics/therapeutic use* ; Acute Disease ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use* ; Enteral Nutrition

OBJECTIVETo investigate the method and effect of percutaneous nephroscopic necrosectomy (PNN) for post-operatively resident infection of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP).

METHODSData of the 15 SAP patients with post-operatively resident infection treated by PNN from June 2008 to December 2014 in Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital were reviewed. Twelve of the patients underwent the laparotomy within 1 week, 1 in 3(rd) week, 1 in 4(th) week and the other one on the 127(th) day. All of the referrals firstly received (multi-)percutaneous catheter drainage (PCD), and then PNN operation according to the disease, followed by continuous irrigation-drainage.

RESULTSEleven patients were healed after received only one PNN operation, 2 patients for twice, 1 for three times and 1 for four times. The average post-operative time of hospital stay was 66.2 days (10-223 days). The complications after operation contained colon fistula (n = 1), abdominal hemorrhage (n = 1), pancreatic pseudocyst (n = 1), severe pulmonary infection (n = 1). Three patients eventually died.

CONCLUSIONSPercutaneous nephroscopic necrosectomy is a minimally invasive approach which could prevent the complicated re-laparotomy operation, result in less complication. It is an ideal method for treating SAP patients with post-operatively resident infection.

Drainage ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Laparotomy ; Length of Stay ; Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures ; Operative Time ; Pancreatitis, Acute Necrotizing ; complications ; surgery ; Postoperative Complications ; microbiology ; Reoperation

Portal vein thrombosis is an uncommon but an important cause of portal hypertension. The most common etiological factors of portal vein thrombosis are liver cirrhosis and malignancy. Albeit rare, portal vein thrombosis can also occur in the presence of local infection and inflammation such as pancreatitis or cholecystitis. A 52-year-old male was admitted because of general weakness and poor oral intake. He had an operation for colon cancer 18 months ago. However, colonic stent had to be inserted afterwards because stricture developed at anastomosis site. Computed tomography taken at admission revealed portal vein thrombosis and inflammation at colonic stent insertion site. Blood culture was positive for Escherichia coli. After antibiotic therapy, portal vein thrombosis resolved. Herein, we report a case of portal vein thrombosis with sepsis caused by inflammation at colonic stent insertion site which was successfully treated with antibiotics.
Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use ; Cholecystitis/etiology ; Colonic Neoplasms/pathology/therapy ; Escherichia coli/isolation & purification ; Escherichia coli Infections/drug therapy/etiology ; Humans ; Inflammation/*etiology ; Liver/diagnostic imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pancreatitis/etiology ; Portal Vein ; Sepsis/*diagnosis/drug therapy/microbiology ; Sigmoidoscopy ; Stents/*adverse effects ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Venous Thrombosis/complications/*diagnosis

Candida is a commensal organism that is frequently found in the human gastrointestinal tract. It is the most common organism that causes pancreatic fungal infections. However, magnetic resonance imaging findings of Candida infection in the pancreas have not been described. We report imaging findings of pancreatic candidiasis in a patient in immunocompetent condition. It presented as a multi-septated cystic mass with a peripheral solid component in the background of pancreatitis and restricted diffusion on diffusion-weighted image that mimicked a malignant pancreatic cystic tumor.
Candida/pathogenicity ; Candidiasis/*diagnosis/microbiology/radiography ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Immunocompromised Host ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pancreatic Neoplasms/*diagnosis/radiography ; Pancreatitis/*diagnosis/microbiology/radiography

This paper is to explore changes of intestinal mucosal barrier, intestinal flora, and bacterial translocation in rats with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). Twenty four male SD rats were randomly divided into the control group (n = 10) and the experimental group (n = 14). The model of severe acute pancreatitis of rats was induced by the method of injecting adversely 5% sodium taurocholate into the common biliary-pancreatic duct. All of the rats were killed after 24 hours and the level of the serum amylase and the plasma endotoxin was determined after that. The pathological changes of pancreas and small intestine were observed through hematoxylin-eosin staining (HE staining) and the abdominal viscera bacterial translocation rates were tested. With the method of real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) the quantity of the intestinal flora was analyzed. In the control group, the level of Escherichia coli, Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium were 2.08 ± 1.29, 11.04 ± 7.55 and 12.21 ± 4.95, respectively. On the contrast, the level of Escherichia coli in the cecum contents was much higher (9.72 ± 3.58, P < 0.01), while the Lactobacillus number was decreased significantly (0.67 ± 0.34, P < 0.01), and the Bifidobacterium number was also decreased (4.59 ± 3.42, P < 0.05) in the experimental group, so the ratio of Bifidobacterium/Escherichia coli was reversed. Besides, in the experimental group, the plasma endotoxin positive rates and the bacterial translocation rates were much higher (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05) and the pathology scores of pancreas and small intestines were also significantly higher (P < 0.01) than those in the control group. These results indicated that in severe acute pancreatitis rats, the intestinal mucosal barrier was severely damaged and the dysbacteriosis occurs in the intestinal canal. And these might relate to the occurrence and development of multiple organ infection.
Animals ; Bacterial Translocation ; Endotoxins ; Intestinal Mucosa ; pathology ; Intestines ; microbiology ; Male ; Pancreas ; pathology ; Pancreatitis ; microbiology ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

PANCREATIC tuberculosis (TB) is a rare disease and its diagnosis is difficult because of the lack of specific clinical manifestations. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have some diagnostic values in this disease, but it is easy to misdiagnose pancreatic TB as a pancreatic tumor.1 In this article, we present a case of non-immunocompromised patient developing an isolated pancreatic TB, report the CT and MRI findings, and the surgical procedure for it.
Adult ; Anastomosis, Surgical ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Pancreaticoduodenectomy ; methods ; Pancreatitis ; diagnosis ; microbiology ; pathology ; surgery ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Treatment Outcome ; Tuberculosis ; diagnosis ; microbiology ; pathology ; surgery

Necrotizing pancreatitis is one of the rare complications of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE). Necrotizing pancreatitis after TACE may result from the development of ischemia caused by regurgitation of embolic materials into the vessels supplying the pancreas. We report a case of post-TACE necrotizing pancreatitis with abscess formation in a patient with hepatocellular carcinoma. The patient had suffered hepatic artery injury due to repetitive TACE; during his 25th TACE procedure he had submitted to selective catheterization of the feeding vessel from the dorsal pancreatic artery with a cytotoxic agent and Gelfoam particles. The patient complained of abdominal pain after the TACE procedure, and a CT scan led to a diagnosis of necrotizing pancreatitis with abscess formation. The pancreatic abscess progressed despite general management of the pancreatitis, including antibiotics. Percutaneous catheter drainage was performed, and the symptoms of the patient improved.
Abscess/microbiology ; Aged ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/*complications/*therapy ; Chemoembolization, Therapeutic/*adverse effects ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Citrobacter freundii/isolation & purification ; Drainage ; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial ; Enterobacteriaceae Infections/drug therapy ; Hepatitis B/complications ; Humans ; Klebsiella/isolation & purification ; Klebsiella Infections/drug therapy ; Liver Cirrhosis/etiology ; Liver Neoplasms/*complications/*therapy ; Male ; Necrosis/*diagnosis/etiology ; Pancreatitis/*diagnosis/etiology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUNDPrevious researches about necrotic pancreatic tissue infections are numerous, but the study on systemic infection related to the severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) treatment period is limited. This study aimed to investigate the distribution and drug resistance of pathogenic bacteria in patients who had hepatobiliary surgery for SAP during the past three years.

METHODSA retrospective study was conducted on the distribution, category and drug resistance of pathogenic bacteria in patients who had hepatobiliary surgery for SAP from 2008 to 2011.

RESULTSA total of 594 pathogenic bacteria samples were isolated. Among them 418 isolates (70.4%) were Gram bacteria negative, 142 isolates (23.9%) were Gram bacteria positive, and 34 isolates (5.7%) were found fungi. The most common Gram negative bacteria were Escherichia coli (19.8%), and the dominant Gram positive pathogenic bacteria were Enterococcus faecium. The distribution of SAP-related infectious pathogens was mainly in peritoneal drainage fluid, sputum, bile, and wound secretions. Almost all the Gram negative pathogenic bacteria were sensitive to carbapenum. Extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) producing strains were more resistant to penicillins and cephalosprins than the ESBLs non-producing strains. Staphylococcus was sensitive to vancomycin and linezolid. The drug resistance of meticillin-resistant staphylococcus (MRS) to commonly used antibiotics was higher than meticillin-sensitive streptococcus (MSS). Enterococcus sp. exhibited lower drug-resistance rates to vancomycin and linezolid.

CONCLUSIONSGram negative bacteria were the dominant SAP-related infection after hepatobiliary surgery. A high number of fungal infections were reported. Drug resistant rates were high. Rational use of antibiotics according to the site of infection, bacterial species and drug sensitivity, correctly executing the course of treatment and enhancing hand washing will contribute to therapy and prevention of SAP-related infection and decrease its mortality.

Anti-Bacterial Agents ; pharmacology ; Gram-Negative Bacteria ; drug effects ; Gram-Positive Bacteria ; drug effects ; pathogenicity ; Humans ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Pancreatitis ; microbiology

BACKGROUNDTechniques for the fast and accurate detection of bacterial infection are critical for early diagnosis, prevention and treatment of bacterial translocation in clinical severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). In this study, the availability of a real-time PCR method in detection of bacterial colonization in SAP rat models was investigated.

METHODSSamples of blood, mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN), pancreas and liver from 24 specific pathogen-free rats (8 in a control group, 16 in a SAP group) were detected for bacterial infection rates both by agar plate culture and a real-time PCR method, and the results were made contrast.

RESULTSBacterial infection rates of the blood, MLN, pancreas and liver in the SAP group and the control group by the two different methods were almost the same, which were 5/16, 12/16, 15/16, 12/16 in the SAP group compared with 0/8, 1/8, 0/8, 0/8 in the control group by agar plate culture, while 5/16, 10/16, 13/16, 12/16 and 0/8, 1/8, 0/8, 0/8 respectively by a real-time PCR method. Bacterial number was estimated by real-time PCR, which showed that in the same mass of tissues, the pancreas contained more bacteria than the other three kinds of organs in SAP rats (P < 0.01), that may be due to the edema, necrosis and hemorrhage existing in the pancreas, making it easier for bacteria to invade and breed.

CONCLUSIONFast and accurate detection of bacterial translocation in SAP rat models could be carried out by a real-time PCR procedure.

Acute Disease ; Animals ; Bacterial Translocation ; genetics ; DNA, Ribosomal ; genetics ; Female ; Male ; Pancreatitis ; microbiology ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Rats

OBJECTIVETo investigate the spectrum of bacteria and fungi in different sites in severe acute pancreatitis (SAP).

METHODSThe prospective study was performed in 205 patients with SAP treated from January 2000 to December 2008. The Infection rate of bacteria and fungi was observed prospectively in pancreatic necrosis and(or) pus form abdomen, body fluids and deep vein catheter in SAP. Body fluids and pancreatic necrosis were cultured twice a week. Central venous catheter was cultured when it had been placed for two weeks. Blood was cultured for bacteria and fungi when body temperature was more than 39 degrees C. Constituent ratio of bacteria and fungi was observed in different sites and in all sites within 28 days after onset of SAP.

RESULTSThere were 937 pathogens, among which infection rates of gram-negative bacteria was higher than gram-positive bacteria and fungi (P < 0.05), the infection rates of gam-positive bacteria and fungi were similar. Infection rates of gram-negative bacteria in pancreatic necrosis (55.2%), bile (55.4%), blood (68.1%) and central venous catheter (44.4%) were increased significantly (P < 0.05) compared with gram-positive bacteria and (30.2%, 33.9%, 23.4%, 38.9%) and fungi (14.6%, 10.7%, 8.5%, 16.7%); however, infection rate of fungi (59.6%) was increased significantly (P < 0.05) compared with gram-negative bacteria (24.0%) and gram-positive bacteria (16.3%) in urine; infection rate of gram-negative bacteria (53.2%) was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than that of fungi (27.1%) and gram-positive bacteria (19.7%) in sputum. Infection rate of non-zymogenic bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia) in gram-negative bacteria in pancreatic necrosis, bile, blood, central venous catheter and sputum was significantly higher than that of zymogenic bacteria (Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli and Enterobacter cloacae) (P < 0.01); infection rate of zymogenic bacteria (Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli) was higher significantly (P < 0.01) than that of non-zymogenic bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii). Infection rate of staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus haemolyticus was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than that of Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium in pancreatic necrosis and sputum;but infection rate of Enterococcus faecium in bile and urine was significantly higher than other gram-positive bacteria (P < 0.05). There was not difference among gram-positive bacteria;however, infection rate of Staphylococcus epidermidis in central venous catheter was increased significantly (P < 0.05). Infection rate of candida mycoderma in pancreatic necrosis, bile, urine and sputum was significantly higher than that of tricho bacteria (P < 0.05). The peak of infection rate of microbes in body fluid was within 2 to 3 weeks.

CONCLUSIONSConstituent ratio in gram-negative, gram-positive bacteria and fungi as well as their species in different sites is diverse. The peak of infection rate of microbes is 2 to 3 weeks after onset of the disease.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Bacteria ; isolation & purification ; Female ; Fungi ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pancreatitis ; microbiology ; Prospective Studies ; Young Adult