Since the majority of patients with necrotizing pancreatitis will experience a leak from the pancreatic duct during their course of disease resulting in intra- and peripancreatic fluid collections, it is reasonable to hypothesize that placement of a ductal stent may prevent some of the late complications and morbidity associated with pancreatic necrosis. This prospective, randomized, controlled multicenter trial investigates the role of early prophylactic ductal stenting in acute necrotizing pancreatitis.

The purpose of the study is to determinate the safety and feasibility of early prophylactic pancreatic duct stenting in necrotizing pancreatitis in reducing complications, length of stay in hospital and in in-tensive care unit compared to the traditional treatment.

Inclusion Criteria:

In patients with suspected necrotizing pancreatitis a pancreatic protocol 3-phase contrast enhanced (CE) CT shall be performed. Since a very early CT may underestimate the extent of pancreatic necro-sis, it is recommended to wait at least 72 hours after the onset of symptoms before CT is done. The CECT may be repeated if the initial CT shows no necroses and the clinical course continues to indicate a severe case.

MRI may be used instead of CT in case of contraindication to intravenous contrast due to renal failure.

If CECT reveals pancreatic necrosis affecting the head, neck, or body of pancreas and the necrosis is suspected to include the main pancreatic duct an informed consent to participate in the study is ob-tained, after which the patient will be randomized to either a) the control group with traditional treat-ment (i.e. at the discretion of each participating center) or to b) the intervention group with same treatment as in the control group plus ERP and PD-stenting. Patients with isolated necrosis of the tail will not be included in the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

All consecutive patients (age between 18-75 years) admitted to the participating centers for acute pan-creatitis with an area of non-enhancing pancreatic parenchyma on CT believed to represent necrosis are prospectively enrolled in the study. At initial presentation the age, gender, etiology of the pancreatitis, clinical and laboratory findings will be recorded. Patients with malignancies and patients from whom an informed consent to participate in the study cannot be obtained will be excluded.

-