[500 days of somatostatin treatment]

A group of 11 patients received somatostatin for a minimum period of 30 days. Patients affected by pancreatic fistulae following either chronic and acute pancreatitis of surgery were admitted to the study. Other published reports are not explicit about the possible side-effects of such a long period of full-dose therapy (lasting at least twice the recommended cycle). In this case, having been forced to continue therapy, no significant side-effects were observed and the therapy retained its effectiveness and tolerability up to the end of the study.