[Chronic pancreatitis. A recent national experience with its surgical management]

The prevalence of chronic pancreatitis in Chile is not known and there is no local information about the surgical treatment of this disease.

To review retrospectively the results of surgical treatment of chronic pancreatitis.

The charts of 17 patients (12 male), aged 7 to 65 years old, with chronic pancreatitis that were operated in three different Chilean regions, were reviewed.

Seven patients had previous endoscopic therapeutic procedures (papillotomy in 4 and stent placing in 3). Seven patients had been subjected to previous biliary surgical procedures. Indications for surgery were severe pain in 14 patients, the suspicion of a pancreatic carcinoma in 4 patients, an infected pseudocyst in one and massive bleeding of multiple pseudo-aneurysms in a pseudocyst in one patient. Twelve patients were subjected to decompressions and 5 to pancreatic resections. There was no operative mortality and one transient pancreatic fistula. After an average follow up of 22 months, pain improved in 94% of cases, pancreatic cancer was diagnosed in one patient and 79% of subjects gained weight. One patient became insulin dependent, one increased his insulin requirements and one had transient steatorrhea, since she could not afford pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy.

The multidisciplinary approach of patients with chronic pancreatitis, with selective use of surgery, may greatly improve their quality of life.