Surgical Treatment for Chronic Pancreatitis: Results of Pancreatic Duct Drainage Operation and Pancreatic Resection

Between 1978 and 1999, 86 patients with chronic pancreatitis were surgically treated at the Surgical Department of Kurume University Hospital. Of these patients, 30 were treated by pancreatic duct drainage operation (drainage operation), while 40 were treated by pancreatic resection, and the results were compared between the two groups. In patients who underwent drainage operation, pain disappeared in 85.7%, slightly relieved in 10.7%, and not relieved in 3.6%. In patients who underwent pancreatic resection, pain disappeared in 73.4%, slightly relieved in 13.3%, and not relieved in 13.3%. Therefore, there was no significant difference in the pain-relieving effect between the two groups. However, the pain-relieving effect was poorer in patients who underwent pancreatic resection than in those who underwent drainage operation. In addition, all patients who showed poor results for pain relief had alcoholic pancreatitis. Endocrine and exocrine functions of the pancreas were improved in 6, maintained in 2, and exacerbated in 4 patients who underwent drainage operation. In patients who underwent pancreatic resection, endocrine and exocrine function of the pancreas were improved in 3, maintained in 3, and exacerbated in 13. Therefore, endocrine and exocrine function of the pancreas were poorer in patients who underwent pancreatic resection than in those who underwent drainage operation. Distant results in patients who underwent drainage operation were good in 75.0%, fair in 15.0%, and poor in 10.0%. In patients who underwent pancreatic resection, distant results were good in 80.0%, fair in 13.3%, and poor in 6.7%. Therefore, favorable distant results were obtained in both groups. These findings suggest that surgical techniques that preserve functions of the pancreas should be selected during surgical treatment for chronic pancreatitis. We consider that the presence or absence of main pancreatic duct dilation and the site of pancreatic lesions are important indices for selecting surgical techniques. Therefore, drainage operation consisting of pancreaticojejunostomy should be indicated for patients with main pancreatic duct dilation, while pancreatic resection should be indicated for those without main pancreatic duct dilation, those with localized pancreatic lesions, and those with suspected pancreatic cancer.