Experience of surgical treatment for chronic pancreatitis during a 10-year period

Surgical treatment for chronic pancreatitis is performed usually because of severe pain and in case of complications like pseudocysts or obstruction of common bile duct or duodenum. Operative treatment is either ductal drainage or resection. The preoperative evaluation must include determination of operative strategy and ERCP seems to give the best information. In the present study the results of surgical treatment in 50 patients during a 10-year period were studied with a follow-up period with a mean of 76 months (range 6-120 months). Alcoholic abuse was the cause of disease in 30 of the 50 operated patients. In 22 patients ductal drainage was performed and in our experience a better result was achieved with a longitudinal than a distal pancreaticojejunostomy. The best results with resectional procedures were achieved when about 80% of the gland was resected. Pseudocysts were drained internally with good results. Poor results were noted especially in cases with continued alcoholic abuse.