[Uncommon types of chronic pancreatitis]

Alcoholic chronic pancreatitis and obstructive chronic pancreatitis are the most frequent and the better characterized types of pancreatitis. Recent advances in biology and genetics have brought new insights into the understanding of rare forms of chronic pancreatitis such as tropical chronic pancreatitis, hereditary chronic pancreatitis and chronic pancreatitis in cystic fibrosis. Some other rare forms of chronic pancreatitis have been identified: eosinophilic chronic pancreatitis, chronic pancreatitis after radiotherapy or during hypercalcemia, minimal change chronic pancreatitis and chronic pancreatitis associated with gut diseases or connectivitis. Recently, a particular form of non alcoholic chronic pancreatitis with duct destruction has been described often presenting as a pancreatic mass, leading in some cases to surgical resection of the pancreas. New insights into the understanding of chronic pancreatitis lead to new physiopathological concepts, and many arguments suggest that combined factors may lead to chronic inflammatory lesions of the pancreas.