Surgical Treatment for Chronic Pancreatitis

Results of Pancreatic Duct Drainage Operation and Pancreatic Resection

Abstract

From 1967 to 1989, 103 patients with chronic pancreatitis were treated surgically in our clinic. Of these, 43 underwent pancreatic duct drainage operation and 25 underwent pancreatic resection. Pain was relieved in 88.4% of the patients who had the drainage operation and in 84.0% of the patients who underwent pancreatic resection, there-fore pain relief was unrelated to therapy. All patients whose pain was not relieved had alcoholic pancreatitis and had continued to drink. With regard to ability to work and quality of life after surgery, there was no difference during a short follow-up period (shorter than two years) between the drainage operation and pancreatic resection but the number of patients with poor life quality increased during a long follow-up period (longer than two years) in the patients who underwent pancreatic resection. Diabetes and malnutrition had affected their social lives. Postoperative pancreatic function deteriorated in the patients who underwent pancreatic resection, though improvement of pancreatic function was observed in some patients who had a drainage operation. As recovery of pancreatic function is expected in the early stage of chronic pancreatitis treated by the drainage operation, maximum conservation of pancreatic tissue by avoiding resectional procedures is advisable.