Surgical implications of chronic pancreatitis

Surgical experience with 9 patients with chronic pancreatitis is reviewed. Vague, atypical abdominal pain and obstructive jaundice were the most common form of presentation. Serum amylase was elevated in less than half the patients. Ultrasound, ERCP, and operative cholangiopancreatography were the most helpful studies. Ampullary or intrapancreatic obstruction were the main indications for operation, and, when relieved, resulted in resolution of symptoms for an average followup of 4.4 yr. Patients with familial and recurrent bouts of pancreatitis should be studied with ERCP to determine if an anatomic lesion is present.