[Trends in surgery for chronic pancreatitis (author's transl)]

[Therapeutic pancreatic duct occlusion in chronic pancreatitis: clinical, exocrine and endocrine consequences in a 12 month follow-up study]

Therapeutic pancreatic duct occlusion (PDO) is applied to preserve endocrine pancreatic function by atrophizing and thus eliminating chronically inflamed exocrine pancreatic parenchyma. So far, efficient and lasting elimination of exocrine parenchyma is brought about only by intraoperative PDO upon partial duodenopancreatectomy. While partial duodenopancreatectomy itself reduces endocrine pancreatic function by about 40%, intraoperative PDO does not further impair endocrine function. Endocrine function is not affected at all by endoscopic PDO, which has to be improved, however, concerning its eliminatory effect on exocrine pancreatic parenchyma.

[Indication and efficiency of computer tomography in general and abdominal surgery]

The efficacy of computed tomography in abdominal surgery must be compared with that of ultrasonography, which is more easily available, less expensive, and entails no radioactive risk. Both methods show high rates of sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy in the detection of parenchymatous lesions, tumors, local complications, tumor recurrences or metastases. Both can be combined with fine-needle biopsy. We think ultrasound scanning is more useful as a primary screening procedure and for follow-up studies, while CT gives a more detailed preoperative diagnosis, including tumor staging.