[Clinical study and course of 102 cases of chronic pancreatitis]

Symptomatology, signs and clinical course were studied in 102 cases of chronic pancreatics (CP), confirmed on the basis of strict criteria. Calcifications were present in 72 cases and chronic alcoholism in 81 cases. In seven patients acute pancreatitis, confirmed at surgery, appeared to have preceeded the development of CP. The only clinical difference between calcifying and non-calcifying forms was a higher incidence of steatorrhea in the first group. Cholelithiasis was present in 17 p.cent, alcoholic cirrhosis in 17 p.cent and a peptic ulcer in 24 p.cent of the whole series. Seventy two patients underwent surgery either for a complication in their course (attack of acute pancreatitis, pancreatic pseudo-cyst, cholestatic jaundice, segmental portal hypertension or antro-pyloroduodenal stenosis) or for cholelithiasis. Course assessed in 70 patients studied for more than 2 years was regressive in almost 60 p.cent of cases. There was no difference in the frequency of regression in those patients undergoing surgery and those treated medically only. In all cases, abstention from alcohol is an essential factor to a favourable result.