title: Quality of life improvement after videothoracoscopic splanchnicectomy in chronic pancreatitis patients: case control study.
abstract: The authors report on the effectiveness of videothoracoscopic splanchnicectomy (VSPL) as a method of pain treatment in patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP). A minimally invasive technique, VSPL is used in CP as an alternative method of pain treatment. The aim of the investigation was to evaluate by a prospective, semirandomized case-control study the influence of VSPL on the quality of life and the level of pain suffered by patients with CP. The study groups consisted of 32 patients who underwent VSPL between March 2000 and January 2001 and a control group of 32 CP patients who received conservative treatment. The effect of the therapy on subjective pain measures and multiparametric quality of life was measured before VSPL and throughout the first year thereafter. In the follow-up period there was a significant decrease in intensity of pain and an improvement in the quality of life of the patients-most significantly concerning emotional well-being and functioning in everyday life. We conclude that the VSPL is a safe, effective, and minimally invasive procedure and recommend that it be used in such cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of General, Gastroenterological and Endocrinological Surgery, Medical University of Gdansk, 1, Prof. Z. Kieturakisa Str., 80-742 Gdansk, Poland. wojmakar@wp.pl
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Makarewicz
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stefaniak
authors.forename: Marlena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kossakowska
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Basiński
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suchorzewski
authors.forename: Aleksander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stanek
authors.forename: Zbigniew B
authors.initials: ZB
authors.lastname: Gruca
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000601:surgery*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D013153:Splanchnic Nerves / Q000601:surgery*; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted