Background: Immediate or delayed catheter drainage of infected pancreatic necrosis remains a subject of debate. The present study aimed to evaluate the optimum timing for drainage in patients with infected necrotizing pancreatitis.
Methods: A prospective, observational study was undertaken at the Department of Surgery, Liaquat University of Medical & Health Sciences (LUMHS), between 1st March 2018 and 6th July 2020. All patients 18 years or older presenting with acute pancreatitis (AP) in whom necrotizing pancreatitis was confirmed or suspected were enrolled in the study. The exclusion criteria included prior intervention for necrotizing pancreatitis. Those who were diagnosed with infected necrotizing pancreatitis were labeled as Group A and Group B. Group A patients underwent immediate catheter drainage (within 24 h of admission) while Group B patients underwent delayed drainage (after 24 h). Clinical outcome variables including complication rate, mortality, length of