Table 1.

Study characteristics were listed.

Author, year	Country	Study design	Comparison	Size	Age
Bakker 2012[10]	Netherlands	RCT	EU	10	64 (46–72)
			DVS	10	62 (58–70)
Bang 2019[11]	USA	RCT	EU	34	52.9 ± 14.2
			EVU	32	55.6 ± 14.2
Boxhoorn 2021[12]	Netherlands	RCT	ED	55	60 ± 14
			DD	49	59 ± 11
He 2019[13]	China	RCT	ED	41	53 (41–62)
			EDL	39	48 (38–61)
Ke 2021[14]	China	RCT	ED	15	38 ± 18
			DD	15	40 ± 16
Kivilaakso 1984[15]	Finland	RCT	ELL	17	39.7 ± 10
			EOS	18	38.4 ± 10.2
Kohli 2019[16]	India	RCT	ED	32	41.6 ± 14.8
			EDL	28	37.4 ± 12.9
Litvin A 2010[17]	Belarus	RCT	DSU	37	NA
			EOS	35	NA
Maroske 1982[18]	Germany	RCT	EDL	12	48 (23-73)
			EOS	12	46 (21-67)
Mier 1997[19]	Mexico	RCT	EOS	25	42 ± 16
			DOS	11	42 ± 12
Schröder 1991[20]	Finland	RCT	ELL	10	40.5 ± 7.5
			EOS	11	35.7 ± 6.8
Shenvi 2016[21]	USA	RCT	DSU	11	37.3 ± 13
			EDL	24	41.7 ± 13.8
van Brunschot 2018[22]	Netherlands	RCT	EU	51	63 ± 14
			DSU	47	60 ± 11
van Santvoort 2010[9]	Netherlands	RCT	DSU	43	57.6 ± 2.1
			DOS	45	57.4 ± 2.0
Van Veldhuisen 2024[23]	Netherlands	RCT	ED	47	NA
			DD	41	NA

DD = delayed drainage, DED = delayed endoscopic debridement, DOS = delayed open surgery, DVS = Delayed video-assisted Surgery, ED = early drainage, EDL = early Drainage + Lavage, EED = early endoscopic debridement, ELL = early laparotomy lavage, EOS = early open surgery, EVS = early video-assisted surgery, NA = not available, RCT = randomized controlled trial.