Description and rationale of a new operation for chronic pancreatitis.

An operation is described that is useful in the management of patients with chronic pancreatitis and its complications. The operation features duodenal-preserving resection of the head of the pancreas combined with longitudinal pancreaticojejunostomy of the body and tail of the pancreas. The operation has application to patients with pain or complications of chronic pancreatitis with dilated ducts in the body and tail of the pancreas who have small strictured ducts and/or small pseudocysts or ducts impacted with calculi in a markedly enlarged fibrotic pancreatic head. It also has application to patients with chronic pancreatitis complicated by common duct obstruction from small pseudocysts, fibrosis, or inflammation in the head of the pancreas. With this procedure, the common duct can often be freed up from the structures compressing it within the substance of the pancreas doing away with the necessity of a separate biliary bypass. The operation also has application to patients with a previous longitudinal pancreaticojejunostomy who have recurrent or persistent pain associated with small strictured ducts in an enlarged fibrotic pancreatic head with or without common bile duct obstruction.