Endoscopic treatment in chronic pancreatitis

Ital J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 1998 Oct;30(5):566-70.

Abstract

Endoscopic treatment of chronic pancreatitis has drawn benefits from endoscopic procedures previously described for the main bile duct. Endotherapy is developing throughout the world. Cyst drainage procedures certainly represent the largest step forward in that non-surgical approach, whatever it is either direct (through the stomach or the duodenum) or indirect through the papilla in the duodenum. This procedure gives similar results to surgery with a lower morbidity. Pancreatic duct drainage associated with stone clearance is feasible and provides good results which have not yet been compared with those obtained thanks to surgery. Nonetheless, when the duct is not widely dilated it has been proven to be a satisfactory alternative to surgery. By contrast, chronic cholestasis does not appear to be a good indication of endotherapy.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Cholestasis / surgery
  • Chronic Disease
  • Drainage / methods
  • Endoscopy / methods
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Pancreatic Cyst / diagnosis
  • Pancreatic Cyst / surgery
  • Pancreatitis / diagnosis
  • Pancreatitis / physiopathology
  • Pancreatitis / surgery*
  • Sphincterotomy, Endoscopic / adverse effects
  • Sphincterotomy, Endoscopic / methods*
  • Treatment Outcome