Objective To investigate the computed tomography (CT) features and diagnosis and treatment of emphysema pancreatitis (EP).

Methods The retrospective and descriptive study was conducted. The clinical and imaging data of 12 patients with EP who were admitted to Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University from January 2017 to June 2020 were collected. There were 10 males and 2 females, aged from 25 to 71 years, with a median age of 42 years. All patients received CT examination. Step‑up treatment or one‑step surgical treatment was performed on patients according to their conditions. Observation indicators: (1) CT features; (2) bacteriological characteristics; (3) treatment and follow‑up. Follow‑up using outpatient examination was conducted at postoperative 1, 3, 6 months to detect survival of patients up to January 2021. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean±SD, and measurement data with skewed distribution were represented as M (range). Count data were described as absolute numbers.

Results (1) CT features: 1 of the 12 patients underwent abdominal+pelvic CT plain scan, and 11 cases underwent abdominal+pelvic CT plain scan and enhanced scan of arterial and portal venous phase. CT examination of 12 patients showed diffuse enlargement of the pancreas, unclear borders and a large amount of exudation around the pancreas. Pancreatic necrotic tissues accounted for >30% of the total pancreatic volume; the Balthazar CT score was 10 (range, 8‑10). Of the 12 patients, 5 cases showed that the exudation or necrosis involved bilateral prerenal fascia, 7 cases only involved the left prerenal fascia; the necrotic infection area of 11 patients formed obvious wraps. The distribution of pancreatic, peripancreatic infection and gas in 12 patients: 6 cases had pancreatic, peripancreatic infection and gas located in Ⅰ+Ⅱa area, 3 cases located in Ⅰ+Ⅱa+Ⅲ area, 2 cases located in Ⅰ+Ⅲ area, and 1 case located in Ⅰ area. There was gas in the pancreatic parenchyma in 12 patients, with fluid in the abdominal cavity and pelvic cavity. (2) Bacteriological characteristics: the culture results of peripancreatic necrotic issues in 12 patients were all positive for the pathogenic specimens, and 27 strains were cultured. Klebsiella pneumoniae was the most common in the culture of necrosis from 12 patients, followed by Escherichia coli and Enterococcus bacteria. Fungus was found in the culture of necrosis from 1 patient. Of the 12 patients, 5 had negative blood cultures and 7 had positive blood cultures. A total of 14 strains were cultured, with Klebsiella pneumoniae being the most common; fungus was found in the blood culture from 4 patients. (3) Treatment and follow‑up: 1 patient underwent percutaneous catheter drainage, 7 underwent step‑up surgical treatment, 4 underwent one‑step surgical treatment; 11 patients undergoing surgical treatment received laparoscopic‑assisted removal of pancreatic necrotic tissue, including 1 case with exploratory laparotomy due to abdominal hemorrhage. Of the 11 patients undergoing surgical treatment, 7 cases received the left retroperitoneal approach surgery (including 1 case combined with the upper abdominal median approach), 2 cases received the upper abdominal median transomental sac approach surgery, 1 case received the right retroperitoneal approach surgery, and 1 case received the left rectus abdominis approach surgery. The number of operations of all the 11 patients were (3.1±0.9)times, the number of step‑up treatments was (3.6±0.8)times, and the number of one‑step surgery was (2.3±0.5)times. Nine of 12 patients had organ dysfunction that lasted for more than 48 hours during the treatment, which received surgical treatment after organ support and anti‑infection therapy. All the 12 patients were followed up for 6 months after operation, of which 9 cases were cured after treatment and 3 cases died including 1 case dying of bleeding and 2 cases dying of septic shock combined with multiple organ failure.

Conclusions Emphysema pancreatitis is complicated by pancreatic necrosis, which is characterized by pancreatic and peripancreatic gas accumulation on CT. Most patients with EP have organ failure. Surgery is an important treatment for EP.