Abstract
A patient of chronic pancreatitis whose addominal pain was relieved by endoscopic elimination of protein plugs was presented. The patient was 57-year-old male without alcohol history. Cholecystectomy was done for cholecystolithiasis in April 1979 and endoscopic sphincterotomy was done in September 1979. However, epigastralgia was continued and he visited our clinic. 5-amylase, u-amylase was within normal range and PS test showed normal pancreatic exocrine function except for mild decline of bicarbonate concentration. ERP showed moderate abnormality compatible with chronic pancreatitis and radiolucent shadows in the pancreatic duct suggestive of protein plugs. Protein plugs were observed in pure pancreatic juice obtained by duodenoscopic cannulation. In the other hand, each parameter of pure pancreatic juice (volume, amylase, bicarbonate, protein and lactoferrin concentration) was within normal range. After pure pancreatic juice collection via duodenoscopic cannulation, epigastralgia from which he had been suffering for a long time was relieved. Therefore, this method seems to be useful not only as a diagnostic procedure but also as a therapeutic procedure.
