[Endoscopic balloon dilatation in stenosis of the pancreatic duct orifice (case report)].

We report the history and endoscopic treatment of a 63 year old female patient with chronic pancreatitis and stenosis of the pancreatic duct. Several operations of the biliary system had been performed in this patient previously (cholecystectomy 1964, choledochoduodenostomy 1972, revision of the choledochoduodenostomy 1974). In 1976 a chronic pancreatitis and a prepapillary stenosis of the Ductus wirsungianus has been diagnosed by clinical and endoscopic radiological findings. In order to relief pain we performed endoscopic sphincterotomies of the pancreatic duct orifice in 1976, 1977 and 1979. Because of relapsing abdominal pain and worsening of the pancreatic duct stenosis we performed two endoscopic balloon dilations of the proximal pancreatic duct at 20 months intervals. These lowered the pancreatoduodenal pressure difference from 40 mm Hg to normal values (below 13 mm Hg) over more than 12 months. Until today only few--less than ten--endoscopic dilations of the pancreatic duct orifice have been reported. A final estimation of this procedure is premature. However our case should stimulate other groups to consider this new form of therapy in selected patients with chronic pancreatitis and marked stenosis of the pancreatic duct.