ABSTRACT
Objective Evaluation of the efficacy of pancreatic resections for the treatment of chronic pains during chronic pancreatitis. Methods Retrospective study of inpatients for chronic pancreatitis between 1982 to 2000. Purpose of admission, morphological changes, treatments and results were evaluated. Results 142 patients were admitted for chronic pancreatitis. 111 patients suffered from chronic pains, due to morphological changes such as pseudocysts, inflammatory masses in the head, dilated pancreatic ducts, biliary or duodenal compressions. Denervations were never efficient, pancreatic resections achieved relief of pain in up to 75% of cases and drainages were efficient in 52% of cases. Conclusions Pancreatic resections during chronic pancreatitis seem to be the most efficient treatment of chronic pains. New techniques such as duodenum-preserving head resection or total pancreatectomy with islet autotransplantation should improve these results.