Long-term outcomes of laparoscopic longitudinal pancreatojejunostomy and modified Frey’s procedure for patients of chronic pancreatitis: A 10-year experience

Abstract

Introduction: To mitigate the morbidity associated with open procedures for chronic pancreatitis (CP), there is a paradigm shift towards the laparoscopic approach. However, since these procedures are technically demanding, literature is still limited. We present our experience and long-term outcomes in the management of CP with laparoscopic surgical procedures. Patients and Methods: This is a retrospective observational study of patients who underwent a laparoscopic surgery for CP between 2009 and 2019. Pain scores using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) were compared pre- and postoperatively. In patients with diabetes, the pre- and post-operative insulin requirement was compared. Results: Data of 62 patients were analysed. The mean duration of follow-up was 69 (±22) months. All patients had pain relief post-surgery. The relief of pain was sustained, with the median VAS scores being 1 at 3- and 5-year follow-up. There was a decrease in the median insulin requirement of diabetic patients, which was significant at 3-month and 1-year follow-up (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that laparoscopic surgical procedures offer long-term pain control with low morbidity. Effective ductal decompression may result in a short-term improvement of the endocrine function of the gland.