ObjectiveTo explore clinical efficacy of Frey procedures for chronic pancreatitis. MethodsThirty two patients with chronic pancreatitis who underwent Frey procedures in our hospital from June 2000 to October 2009 were analyzed retrospectively. The rate of perioperative complications, pain relief, and especially endocrine and exocrine function of pancreas in longterm followup (mean 43 months) were analyzed. ResultsNo death occurred in all patients. Fat liquefaction of wound was found in two patients and pancreatic fistula was found in one patient, who was cured by conventional treatment. So the rate of perioperative complications was 9.4%(3/32). After Frey procedures, pain disappeared completely in sixteen patients (50.0%), pain relieved in fourteen patients (43.8%) and two cases were ineffective. Therefore, the rate of pain relief in longterm follow-up was 93.8%. The hospitalization was (11±2) d. After surgical treatment the illness of five patients with diabetes mellitus did not aggravate while new onset of diabetes mellitus was observed in three cases. For three cases who suffered from indigestion and steatorrhea, symptomatic relief was found in one patient treated by oral administration of pancreatin and inefficacy was observed in two cases. But four patients with new steatorrhea were found after operation. ConclusionUnder the strict surgical indications, Frey procedure is a safe and effective surgical method for the treatment of chronic pancreatitis.
Objective To summarize current research advances of mechanism and treatment of pancreatic endocrine and exocrine insufficiency in chronic pancreatitis. Method The related literatures about the research progress of the pancreatic endocrine and exocrine insufficiency in the chronic pancreatitis in recent years were retrieved and reviewed. Results In recent years, it had many new studies and discoveries on the pancreatic endocrine and exocrine insufficiency in the chronic pancreatitis. The mechanism of the pancreatic exocrine dysfunction was mainly due to the decrease of the pancreatin secretion in the patients with chronic pancreatitis. The mechanism of the pancreatic endocrine insufficiency was mainly due to the damage of the pancreatic exocrine gland and islet tissue in the chronic pancreas, which leaded to the destruction of the pancreatic endocrine cells, the other endocrine cells, and the disturbance of the intestine-islet axis, followed by the disorder of the various hormones (insulin, glucagon, pancreatic polypeptide, etc.), and eventually manifested the glucose tolerance or dominant diabetes. Conclusions At present, although there is a certain degree understanding for pancreatic endocrine and exocrine insufficiency in chronic pancreatitis, there are no breakthroughs in its mechanism and treatment, and effect is lack of large sample and multicenter clinical control study. Exploring more optimized detection methods and establishing a perfect treatment system is goal of future development and research.