Common bile duct stenosis secondary to chronic pancreatitis ： surgical versus endoscopic treatments

Objective To evaluate and compare the effects of surgical and endoscopic therapy for common bile duct stenosis （CBDS） induced by chronic pancreatitis （CP）. Methods A historical cohort study of CBDS subjects induced by CP, who underwent endoscopic or surgical treatments at Changhai Hospital from Januraryl997 to July 2007, was performed. Results Of 514 cases of CP, CBDS occurred in 51 （9.9%）, in which complete follow-up data were available in 41 survived patients with a mean follow-up period of 42.9±28. 3 months. The mean ages of first onset and hospitalization were 46. 3±14.0 and 49. 8±11.9 years, respectively. Endoscopic therapy was applied in 13 patients, including bile duct stenting in 7, 6 of whom presented with cholangitis, cholestasis and/or jaundice. Surgery was performed in 26 patients, in which 7 also underwent endoscopic therapy, and occupying lesion in pancreatic head was found in 14. The other 2 patients were treated without endoscopy or surgery. At the end of the follow-up, all symptoms including cholangitis, cholestasis and jaundice were relieved and no recurrence or choler cirrhosis was recorded.Conclusion Surgical approach is the main treatment for CBDS induced by CP. Endoscopic therapy is an alternative for patients unfit for surgery, especially for those who had jaundice, cholestasis or cholangitis. Key words: Pancreatitis, chronic;  Common bile duct diseases;  Endoscopes;  Surgical procedures, operative