Pain relief and functional recovery after endoscopic interventions for chronic pancreatitis

Pain and functional deterioration in chronic pancreatitis is multifactorial. Early surgery in non-alcoholic patients with mild to moderate chronic pancreatitis can relieve pain and prevent progression of pancreatic insufficiency for some time, but the good results are only short term. Endoscopic intervention can relieve pain and recover pancreatic function without surgery.

To achieve the burned out state of chronic pancreatitis, occlusion of the pancreatic duct was first attempted by our team with Ethibloc at ERCP. Temporary obstruction of the pancreatic duct did not result in a long-lasting symptom and relapse-free situation because of early recovery of pancreatic function. On the contrary, endoscopic simple and double papillotomy, pancreatic drainage with citrate lavage, biliary endoprosthesis with multiple stents and endoscopic decompression of pseudocysts with or without jejunal feeding resulted in pain-free patients for a considerable time and in several cases significant functional recovery occurred. In cases where pain remained, percutaneous celiac plexus block with long-lasting steroids can be applied and only if all of these treatments fail should surgery be recommended.

Endoscopic intervention can successfully substitute for surgery for chronic pancreatitis in individual cases.