Role of total pancreatectomy in the treatment of patients with end-stage chronic pancreatitis

Abstract

Forty patients underwent total pancreatoduodenectomy for end-stage chronic pancreatitis. There were 34 men and six women of median age 39 (range 21–66) years. Alcoholism was the major aetiological agent (30 patients), and five patients had had previous acute idiopathic pancreatitis. The overwhelming indication for operation was severe abdominal pain, complicated by failing exocrine and endocrine function. Resection was performed in one (17 patients) or two (23) stages, following previous proximal (seven) or distal (16) pancreatectomy; progression from partial to total pancreatectomy occurred over an interval of 8–96 (median 15) months. A further six patients had undergone previous pseudocyst or duct drainage procedures. The pylorus was preserved in 28 patients and the spleen in ten. Median operating time was 6 (range 2±5–8±5) h and median blood loss 2000 (range 500–16000) ml. There were two hospital deaths and three patients required reoperation. Of 38 survivors, 30 obtained complete or substantial relief of pain. There were 15 late deaths at 2±5–120±0 months after operation, 13 in the alcohol group and 11 disease-related. Total pancreatectomy can relieve the intractable pain of chronic pancreatitis at the cost of possible premature death from continuing alcohol abuse.