title: Long-term follow-up of a randomized clinical trial comparing Beger with pylorus-preserving Whipple procedure for chronic pancreatitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Duodenum-preserving pancreatic head resection according to Beger and the pylorus-preserving Whipple (ppWhipple) procedure were compared in patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP) in a randomized clinical trial. Perioperative data and short-term outcome have been reported previously. The present study evaluated long-term follow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty patients were enrolled originally, 20 in each group. Long-term follow-up included mortality, morbidity, pain status, occupational rehabilitation, quality of life (QoL), and endocrine and exocrine function at median follow-up of 7 and 14 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One patient who had a ppWhipple procedure was lost to follow-up. There were five late deaths in each group. No differences were noted in pain status and exocrine pancreatic function. Loss of appetite was significantly worse in the ppWhipple group at 14 years' follow-up, but there were no other differences in QoL parameters examined. After 14 years, diabetes mellitus was present in seven of 15 patients who had the Beger procedure and 11 of 14 patients after ppWhipple resection (P = 0.128).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  After long-term follow-up of up to 14 years early advantages of the Beger procedure were no longer present.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 110, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Friess
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hinz
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dahmen
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Büchler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010180:Pancreatectomy / Q000379:methods*; D050500:Pancreatitis, Chronic / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011708:Pylorus / Q000601:surgery*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012086:Reoperation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome