Acta chirurgica Scandinavica最新文献

The association between pain and exocrine pancreatic function was re-evaluated in 56 patients with chronic pancreatitis to see if residual function of the gland may evoke outflow obstruction resulting in pain. No significant differences were found in the degrees of pancreatic dysfunction among three groups with different degrees of pain (no pain, n = 7; moderate pain, n = 21; and severe pain, n = 28), but patients with more impairment of exocrine pancretic function tended to have less pain. In patients with no pain the mean (SD) peak serum concentration of fluorescein was 2.0 (0.2) micrograms/l, in those with moderate pain it was 2.6 (0.1), and in those with severe pain it was 3.4 (0.1). No significant differences were found between the degree of pain and the duration of the disease, which was 5.5 (0.3) years in the group with no pain, 3.5 (0.2) in patients with moderate pain, and 3.8 (0.1) in those with severe pain. We conclude that outflow obstruction may affect some patients, but is not the only cause of pain. Patients with severe pancreatic dysfunction and steatorrhoea often present with pain, so either obstruction of the residual secretions, or inflammatory activity impinging on nerve endings in fibrotic tissue, may also cause pain. The causes vary, and there is often more than one, so optimal management implies thorough investigation of each patient and long term follow up.

Published reports have been reviewed and the results compared in an attempt to differentiate between pancreatic pain and abdominal pain from other causes, and between the pain of acute pancreatitis and that of chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic carcinoma. The role of pain as a diagnostic sign has been assessed, as have the patterns of pain in chronic pancreatitis.

Pain from pancreatic cancer is, in most cases, both severe and debilitating. Large doses of morphine are sometimes not tolerated or accepted by the patient, and are often ineffective. It has been claimed that "coeliac plexus block is the simplest, most effective and least hazardous" means of palliation (49, 59); we think that this is true, and that coeliac plexus block should be considered more often than it is today, and at an earlier stage. Only in rare cases should pain from pancreatitis be treated with a nerve block.

The association between histopathological changes and the incidence of abdominal pain in patients with chronic pancreatitis was reviewed from published reports, and compared with that in our own series (n = 65). Recurrent tissue necrosis caused by autodigestion, and the formation of pseudocysts, are the likely causes of the intermittent pain that marks the early stages of chronic pancreatitis. In contrast, the persistent pain of advanced chronic pancreatitis is associated with incomplete duct obstruction in a pancreas that is still able to secrete. The cause of persistent pain may therefore be segmental distension of the walls of the duct as a result of focally increased pressure. Perineural scarring has been seen in both painful and painless chronic pancreatitis.

Ultrasonography of the liver was performed on 27 patients during laparotomy for liver lesions--11 primary and 13 metastatic mainly colon/rectum malignancies, and three benign conditions. Supplementary information on the liver parenchyma was provided in 11 cases (41%) in which the surgical strategy was decided simply by inspection and palpation of the liver. Ultrasound was most valuable for visualizing the vascular anatomy of the liver, giving clarification in 18 cases (66%), especially the relationship of tumor to portal and hepatic veins. This was decisive for the surgical strategy in four cases, enabling resection in two and modifying planned procedure in two. In a case of polycystic liver, ultrasonography imaged deep-lying cysts and aided the fenestration procedure. Liver resection was performed in 16 cases without operative mortality. Hepatic ultrasonography is useful for determining tumor spread, but of even greater value for the determination of strategy by clarifying tumor/vascular anatomic relationships.

Since 1972, resection of the head of the pancreas with preservation of the duodenum has been carried out in 141 patients with chronic pancreatitis and an inflammatory mass in the head of the gland. One patient died in hospital (0.7%), and seven further patients died during the median follow-up period of 3.6 years (range 0.5-16). In contrast to the Whipple procedure, this operation spares the patient a gastric resection, a duodenectomy, and resection of the common bile duct. In terms of long lasting relief of pain and preservation of the endocrine function of the pancreas, the limited resection with preservation of the duodenum is highly effective and the mortality and late morbidity are low.

The effects of number of operations, experience of the surgeon, and type of hospital on operative mortality have been studied in 444 patients treated for abdominal aortic aneurysms. In the elective group (n = 279) there was a significant difference in mortality between hospitals in which more than 10 such operations were done compared with those in which less than 10 were done during the study period (p = 0.05; odds ratio (OR) 2.7). In the ruptured group there was no statistically significant difference (p = 0.14; OR 1.9). In the elective group, units with vascular surgical experience had an operative mortality of 4.8% compared with 11.3% for other units (p = 0.05; OR 2.6). In the ruptured group the figures were 52.5% and 73.3% respectively (p = 0.03; OR 2.5). There was no difference in operative mortality between university, county and local hospitals. Outcome of treatment after operations for abdominal aortic aneurysm was related to number of operations carried out and experience, whereas the type of hospital seemed less important.