[Endoscopic treatment of pain in patients with chronic pancreatitis].
BACKGROUND
Chronic Pancreatitis is a recurrent disease, frequently alcohol intake related and tend to occur in the third and the fourth decades. Stenoses and lithiasis in the main pancreatic duct causes obstruction and subsequently pain. Therefore endoscopic or surgical decompression of main pancreatic duct results in pain relief.


METHODS
Review our experience in the endoscopic management in patients suffering from chronic pancreatitis. 42 patients underwent ERCP for management of their chronic pancreatitis. Therapeutic options were sphincterotomy alone, prostheses and "do nothing". Follow-up was made by phone call and outpatient office visits. Mean follow-up was 47.8 (27.2) months.


RESULTS
22 patients underwent therapeutic ERCP. In 8 patients we performed sphincterotomy and in 14 patients, a sphincterotomy and prostheses intubation. 8 patients are asymptomatic after a mean follow-up of 10.8 (11.6) months. 2 of them, underwent sphincterotomy and six of them, underwent sphincterotomy and prostheses intubation.


CONCLUSIONS
Therapeutic ERCP is a tool that relieves pain in a fifth of patients suffering from chronic pancreatitis.
Ledro Cano
D
D
Unidad de Endoscopia, Servicio de Aparato Digestivo, Area Hospitalaria Virgen Macarena, Sevilla. dledro@supercable.es
Catalán Ramírez
J M
JM
González Mariscal
M J
MJ
Romero Castro
R
R
Pellicer Bautista
F J
FJ
Herrerías
J M
JM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D059408:Pain Management; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D016717:Sphincterotomy, Endoscopic