Duodenum-preserving resection of the head of the pancreas in severe chronic pancreatitis. Early and late results.

In 128 patients with severe chronic pancreatitis and inflammatory enlargement of the head of the pancreas, a duodenum-preserving resection of the pancreatic head was performed. Median post-operative hospitalization was 15.5 days, and the frequency of reoperation was 5.5%. One patient died during the early post-operative phase, and hospital mortality amounted to 0.8%. After a median follow-up period of 3.6 years (range of 7 months to 16 years), six of 127 patients died (late mortality of 4.7%). Seventy-seven per cent of the patients were completely free of abdominal pain, 67% returned to their former occupations. During the late follow-up period, the glucose metabolism was unchanged in 80.7% of the patients, in 13.7% it deteriorated, and in 5.5% it improved permanently; 80% of the patients experienced a marked increase in weight averaging 8.7 kg. Compared with the Whipple procedure, the duodenum-preserving resection of the head of the pancreas spares the patient with chronic pancreatitis a gastrectomy, duodenectomy, and resection of the extrahepatic biliary ducts. In terms of a subtotal resection, the limited operative intervention at the head of the pancreas and the preservation of the duodenum explain the low early and late postoperative morbidity and mortality.