The surgical management of chronic pancreatitis: duodenum-preserving pancreatectomy

Duodenum-preserving pancreas resection for chronic pancreatitis results in a subtotal resection of the pancreatic head. Of 488 patients suffering from chronic pancreatitis with an inflammatory mass in the head, 48% had a common bile duct stenosis in the ERCP, 63% had a pancreatic main duct stenosis, 25% had a duodenum stenosis, and 17% showed vascular obstruction--mainly compression or occlusion of the portal vein. Hospital mortality after duodenum-preserving head resection was 0.9%. In the late follow-up, 88% of patients were free of pain and 60% were professionally rehabilitated. The incidence of diabetes mellitus in the late follow-up was 14%; however, 6% of the patients had a lasting improvement of endocrine function. Late mortality after a median follow-up of 6 years (1-22 years after surgical treatment) was 9%. Only 10% of the patients needed further hospitalization due to recurrent attacks of acute pancreatitis. Duodenum-preserving head resection should be the surgical procedure of choice in chronic pancreatitis with an inflammatory mass in the head of the pancreas and in cases with pancreas divisum after failure of medical and interventional treatment. Duodenum-preserving total pancreatectomy is a last-resort surgical treatment after failure of left resection for pain in chronic pancreatitis.