Perioperative and follow-up results after central pancreatic head resection (Berne technique) in a consecutive series of patients with chronic pancreatitis.
BACKGROUND
Many patients require surgery for chronic pancreatitis (CP). By combining the essences of the Beger and the Frey procedures, a hybrid procedure was developed: central pancreatic-head resection (CPHR) (Berne technique).


METHODS
A prospective evaluation of 100 consecutive patients who underwent CPHR for CP between January 2002 and December 2006 was performed. Long-term follow-up, including quality-of-life (QOL) assessment, was carried out.


RESULTS
The hospital mortality rate was 1%; the surgical morbidity rate was 16%; and the relaparotomy rate was 6%. Mean surgery time was 295 +/- 7 minutes; mean intraoperative blood loss was 763 +/- 75 mL; and the mean postsurgical hospital stay was 11.4 +/- .8 days. After a median follow-up of 41 months, pain was improved in 55% of patients; weight increase occurred in 67% of patients; and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus developed in 22% of the patients. Comparison of QOL parameters with a German adult control population showed no statistically significant differences.


CONCLUSIONS
CPHR is a safe surgical option to resolve CP-associated problems. Long-term follow-up QOL after CPHR shows results comparable with date published data after the Beger and the Frey procedures.
Department of General Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
Michael W
MW
Müller
Helmut
H
Friess
Sarah
S
Leitzbach
Christoph W
CW
Michalski
Pascal
P
Berberat
Güralp O
GO
Ceyhan
Ulf
U
Hinz
Choon-Kiat
CK
Ho
Jörg
J
Köninger
Jörg
J
Kleeff
Markus W
MW
Büchler
D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010180:Pancreatectomy; D050500:Pancreatitis, Chronic / Q000601:surgery*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome