Surgical management of chronic pancreatitis

During the past 21 years 222 patients with chronic pancreatitis have undergone surgery at the Department of General Surgery, Medical School Bialystok. In 117 cases (52.7%) resection was performed and 48 patients (21.6%) had anastomotic procedures and the rest of patients underwent bile duct anastomotic surgery or were re-operated on because of surgical complications. Based on the own clinical experience and the latest data from the world literature diagnostic criteria and indications for surgical treatment of chronic pancreatitis are shown below. Good results obtained in 192 cases (86%) strongly support our opinion that resection procedures in chronic pancreatitis are the most effective management however patients should be operated on in specialized centers with good diagnostic bases because a correct diagnosis is essential while choosing the appropriate line of treatment.