The management of pancreatic ascites and pancreaticopleural effusion.

Pancreatic ascites and pancreaticopleural effusion result from a complete or partial main pancreatic duct disruption or from a pseudocyst rupture with releasing of pancreatic juice into the surrounding tissues. The treatment requires to minimize pancreatic secretion, to favor pancreatic juice drainage into the digestive tract and to restore main pancreatic duct disruption. This can be achieved by endoscopic approach in more than 90% of the patients.