Does intraoperative electrohydraulic lithotripsy improve outcome in the surgical management of chronic pancreatitis?

Lateral pancreaticojejunostomy (LPJ) is the cornerstone of surgical management of pain associated with chronic pancreatitis (CP) and ductal dilation. The pathologic key to failure of LPJ is disease confined to the head of the pancreas. Intraoperative pancreatoscopy with electrohydraulic lithotripsy (EHL) is a novel technique that avoids resection and eradicates intraductal lithiasis in the head of the gland. This study was undertaken to compare outcome of LPJ alone and LPJ with intraoperative EHL in the surgical management of CP. The records of patients undergoing LPJ with intraoperative EHL between 1996 and 1998 (Group A) were reviewed and compared with our historical data of patients who underwent LPJ alone from 1977 through 1991 (Group B). Quality-of-life questionnaires were administered in person or by telephone. Fisher's exact and Mann-Whitney statistical tests were used where appropriate. Twenty patients (12 men, 8 women; mean age 51 years, range 29-68) in Group A underwent LPH with EHL versus 85 patients in Group B (65 men, 20 women; mean age 43.6 years, range 24-73) who had LPJ only. The etiology of CP was attributed to alcohol abuse in 85 per cent of patients in Group A and 96 per cent in Group B. Mean follow-up for Group A was 2.7 years (range 1-4 years) and 6.3 years (range 1-15 years) for Group B. Complications occurred in four patients (Group A) and five patients (Group B) perioperatively. There were no deaths in either group in the early postoperative period. Subsequent operations for complications of CP were significantly fewer in Group A than in Group B (P < 0.05). Rehospitilizations were required in 35 and 60 per cent of patients in Group A and B respectively (P < 0.05). Postoperative insulin and enzyme supplementation requirements were unchanged in Group A and continued or worsened in Group B. Ninety per cent of patients in Group A viewed their health status as good or fair compared with 55 per cent in Group B (P < 0.05). Postoperative narcotic use was present in both groups, although the number of pain pills used decreased considerably from 25 per week to fewer than five in Group A. Intraoperative EHL may represent an alternative to resection of the head of the pancreas or may be used as an adjunct to LPJ in the surgical management of chronic fibrocalcific pancreatitis.