[Chronic familial pancreatitis (6 cases, 3 families)]

The authors report 6 cases of chronic familial pancreatitis. They review the literature on this disease which is still little recognised and seek the specific characteristics, early onset, transmission as an autosomic dominant with incomplete penetrance, relatively favourable prognosis, together with the suggestive signs, pancreatic lithiasis and certain complications. Apart from these signs, chronic familial pancreatitis differs very little from common chronic pancreatitis. The only cause is apparently genetic. Etiopathogenesis is thus still obscure. Treatment should be started early, but surgical methods are the same as in primary chronic pancreatitis.