The aim: To analyze results of surgical treatment of patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP) and to assess the causes of pancreatic cancer after surgical treatment.
Materials and methods: 137 patients had duodenum-preserving resections of the pancreas.
Results: In the histological examination of the pancreas it was established that the growth of fibrous tissue was registered in patients with CP., which in 19 (13.8%) almost completely replaced the acinar tissue. In the long term after the operation from 6 months to 2 years in 8 patients (5.8%) pancreatic cancer was detected. Possible causes of tumor origin were analyzed, the value of preservation of ductal hypertension, which affects the state of the duct’s epithelium, was established. The most commonly used for treatment of chronic pancreatitis the Frey surgery removed pancreatic hypertension but in two patients during the operation an insufficient volume of the pancreatic head was reconstructed. In the case of the abandonment of a large array of fibrous tissue, local hypertension was retained in the region of the ductal structures of the head, which led to the transformation of the duct epithelium. An essential factor in the problem of the preservation of pancreatic hypertension were the stenosis of pancreatic intestinal anastomoses, they arose in the long term in 4 operated patients. With stenosis of anastomosis after duodenum-preserving resection both the hypertension factor and the regeneration factor could be realized, which under certain circumstances might be significant. Conclusion: After resection of the pancreas for CP cancer was diagnosed in 5.8% of patients. The main method of preventing the risk of cancer was performing the Frey surgery for CP eliminating pancreatic hypertension in the head region of the pancreas. Diagnosis of stenosis in the late period after resection of the pancreas was an important element in the prevention of recurrence of cancer since a timely reconstructive operation could improve the drainage of duct structures.