Modern principles of surgical treatment of chronic pancreatitis

We reviewed the charts of 752 patients, who have undergone surgery for various forms of chronic pancreatitis at “Shalimov’s National Institute of Surgery and Transplantation of the NAMS of Ukraine” in the years from 2007 to 2017. The average age of the 591 males (78,6 %) and 161 females (22,4 %) was 43,0 ± 3,2 years. Out of these, 446 (62,4 %) patients with pseudocysts and pancreatic fistula and also with isolated main pancreatic duct lithiasis underwent drainage procedures. The 269 (37.6%) patients were subjected to different types of resection, including the Frey operation, pancreatoenterostomy with artificial pancreatic duct formation, the Berne technique, the Beger procedure, pancreatoduodenectomy, distal-pancreatic resection and other procedures. After pancreatic resections, the patients did not require repeated surgical interventions for chronic pancreatitis. In some cases of chronic pancreatitis, there was an isolated lesion of the pancreas: in such cases (13 patients), we performed distal resection of the pancreas. Among the observed patients here were no fatal cases. Satisfactory results were obtained in 92.6 % of cases at longterm follow-up. Post-operative complications occurred in 27 patients (4.6 %), in 6 (1.03 %) patients there was a need for repeated surgery. Progression of the disease in patients previously operated in our clinic was observed in 32 (5.5 %), and 72 patients, initially operated in other medical institutions. Patients after direct resection of the pancreas did not require repeated surgery for chronic pancreatitis. The main causes of unsatisfactory results of the surgical treatment for chronic pancreatitis have been found to be: false indications for initial surgery, improper primary surgical techniques, insufficient use of drainage procedures, as well as, performing a drainage procedure instead of a resection. Key words: chronic pancreatitis, surgical treatment, resection and drainage procedures. For citation: Usenko OY, Kopchak VM, Nychytailo MY, Duvalko OV, Khanenko VV, Trachuk VI, Khomiak AI. Modern principles of surgical treatment of chronic pancreatitis. Journal of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine. 2019;25(3):306–12

Postoperative Complications of Beger Procedure

Introduction. Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is considered an inflammatory disease that may cause varying degrees of pancreatic dysfunction. Conservative and surgical treatment options are available depending on dysfunction severity.Presentation of Case. A 36-year-old male with history of heavy alcohol consumption and diagnosed CP underwent a duodenal-preserving pancreatic head resection (DPPHR or Beger procedure) after conservative treatment failure. Refractory pain was reported on follow-up three months after surgery and postoperative imaging uncovered stones within the main pancreatic duct and intestinal dilation. The patient was subsequently subjected to another surgical procedure and intraoperative findings included protein plugs within the main pancreatic duct and pancreaticojejunal anastomosis stricture. A V-shaped enlargement and main pancreatic duct dilation in addition to the reconstruction of the previous pancreaticojejunal anastomosis were performed. The patient recovered with no further postoperative complications in the follow-up at an outpatient clinic.Discussion. Main duct and pancreaticojejunal strictures are an unusual complication of the Beger procedure but were identified intraoperatively as the cause of patient’s refractory pain and explained intraductal protein plugs accumulation.Conclusion. Patients that undergo Beger procedures should receive close outpatient clinical follow-up in order to guarantee postoperative conservative treatment success and therefore guarantee an early detection of postoperative complications.