Extended Partington procedure for chronic pancreatitis: One-year follow-up results

BackgroundOver half of the patients who underwent the Partington procedure for painful chronic pancreatitis developed recurrent pain attacks. This occurs because the proximal ducts at the head of the pancreas, often containing stones, are left undrained. To overcome this pitfall, an extended Partington procedure is recommended. The aim of this study was to assess our 1-year follow-up results of the extended Partington procedure in patients with painful chronic pancreatitis.Materials and MethodsThis prospective study comprises patients undergoing extended Partington procedures who were followed for at least 1 year. Data were collected preoperatively and postoperatively in a fixed-interval fashion at 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year.ResultsThirty-one patients underwent assessment. At 1-year follow-up, effective and complete pain relief was achieved in 81% and 55% of patients, respectively. The Izbicki pain score decreased significantly; the median dropped from 47.5 to 4.4. The quality of life using SF-12 physical and mental component summary improved significantly; the medians increased from 41.7 to 93.8, and 47.5 to 86.7, respectively. Endocrine function remained stable. Exocrine insufficiency developed in most patients as a natural progression of chronic pancreatitis. Two patients had complications directly related to surgical procedures (6%). No early postoperative deaths occurred.ConclusionsExtended Partington procedure for chronic pancreatitis results in excellent pain relief and quality of life improvement, with a low morbidity rate, and does not worsen pancreatic function. It should replace the original Partington procedure in treating painful chronic pancreatitis.