[Invalidating polyarthritis in chronic pancreatitis. Recovery by pancreaticojejunostomy]

A 38 year-old man presented with migratory joint arthropathy. He complained of abdominal pain, diarrhea and weight loss for 2 years. Periarticular needle aspiration yielded cytosteatonecrosis. The diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis was based on the results of ultrasound, CT scan, and endoscopic retrograde pancreatography. The latter showed a dilated and moniliform main pancreatic duct. Failure of symptomatic medical treatment of arthritis led to perform pancreaticojejunostomy which was followed immediately by complete relief of arthritic symptoms. During pancreatic disease, whether malignant or benign, joint involvement is often associated with bone, cutaneous, serosal, and multiorgan involvement. The pathogenesis and therapy of joint lesions in pancreatic disease are controversed. Surgical treatment of the causative disease, and especially pancreaticojejunostomy should undoubtedly be considered more often.