Long‐term follow‐up study of 50 patients with pancreaticoduodenectomy for chronic pancreatitis

Abstract

Abstract From 1963 to 1976, fifty patients, all male and alcoholic, underwent pancreaticoduodenectomies for chronic pancreatitis. Prior operation(s) had already been performed for 17 patients. There was 1 postoperative death. The main late complications were anastomotic peptic ulcer (5 cases) and acute cholangitis (3 cases). In 1981, four patients were lost to follow‐up, 23 patients were dead, and 22 patients were reviewed with a mean follow‐up period of 10.7 years. Secondary deaths mainly occurred during the 5 years following surgery (17 of 23). Other complications of chronic alcoholism, together with smoking‐related diseases, were the cause of death in 8 patients. Symptomatic and clinical results were excellent or good in 16 of 22 reviewed patients. Persistent alcoholism (50% in patients who died and 10% in living patients) and low socioeconomic level were the main factors affecting long‐term survival.