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Pancreatic resection
Removal of the pancreas is a complicated operation that is performed for benign or malignant tumors of the pancreas. On occasion, the pancreas will be removed for acute or chronic pancreatitis. Most operations on the pancreas are performed by an open operation but some pancreatic resections are amenable to laparoscopic surgery. Extensive evaluation and preparation is required prior to these operations. Multiple tests including CT scans, MRI's, ultrasound imaging, endoscopic ultrasound or ERCP may be required. Preoperative evaluation may require clearance by an internist for patients with significant associated medical diseases. Despite the complexities of these operations, however, surgical treatment has improved tremendously over the past few decades. Mortality rates for these operations has decreased markedly. Careful preparation prior to surgery is an integral component of this improvement. Bowel preparation is required for this operation. Patients are typically hospitalized 7-10 days after this operation and overall recovery is about 6 weeks. Potential complications include death (1-3 percent), bleeding, infection, and leakage from a pancreatic or biliary anastomosis. |
