Surgery for Chronic Pancreatitis

Surgery for chronic pancreatitis

For selected cases of chronic pancreatitis symptoms, surgery may be considered. Some of the recommended surgeries include:

• Nerve-block surgery which aims at relieving pain.
• Pancreaticojejunostomy (Drainage procedure): Pancreaticojejunostomy is a surgical procedure that aims at relieving pain by relieving the blockage in the pancreas as well as the increasing pressure. Typically, such patients will have pancreatic duct stones or strictures causing the blockage.

Surgery to manage chronic pancreatitis may also include removal of the pancreas, which can take either or the following forms:

• Partial removal of the pancreas
• Total removal of the pancreas

The removal of the pancreas, either partially or fully, has been noted to reduce pain in patients with chronic pancreatitis. In the case of a total removal of the pancreas, transplantation of islet cells can be a consideration in order to prevent diabetes.