Effect of peripheral pancreatic duct obstruction on the progression of chronic pancreatitis]

Experimental chronic pancreatitis model were made in five dogs with chronic pancreatic fistula by injection of microspheres into peripheral pancreatic duct. Sequential changes of pancreatic exocrine and endocrine functions also with morphology were studied. Significant decrease of volume, bicarbonate output, and amylase output of pure pancreatic juice (PPJ) separately collected with stimulation of secretin were detected. While, viscosity of PPJ was significantly increased with concomitant increase of hexosamine concentration. Chronic pancreatitis was demonstrated morphologically also. These results suggest that concentrated PPJ caused by decrease in volume in PPJ and increase in viscosity of PPJ with concomitant increase in hexosamine concentration bring about the progression of chronic pancreatitis in this experimental model.     

Acute suppuration of the pancreatic duct associated with pancreatic ductal obstruction due to pancreas carcinoma

Acute obstructive suppurative cholangitis is a well-known clinical entity; however, acute suppuration of the pancreatic duct in the setting of pancreatic ductal obstruction is an uncommon pancreatic disorder. We report a case of acute suppuration of the pancreatic duct without either a concomitant pancreatic abscess or an infected pseudocyst, presenting as acute relapsing pancreatitis. In this case, the underlying cause of suppuration of the pancreatic duct was pancreatic ductal obstruction and chronic pancreatitis secondary to pancreas head carcinoma along with infection of Escherichia coli. Endoscopic placement of a pancreatic stent resulted in an evacuation of grayish thick pus from the distal pancreatic duct with a dramatic improvement of the disease. This case proposes the concept that acute suppuration of the pancreatic duct is a complex process involving the chronically damaged pancreas, pancreatic outflow obstruction, and subsequent bacterial infection. Antibiotic treatment is effective but temporary; therefore, the immediate drainage of the infected pancreatic duct is mandatory.     

The liver in biliary obstruction due to chronic pancreatitis

Biliary obstruction is an important complication of chronic calcifying pancreatitis. In this study, liver biopsies were examined to determine the nature and severity of hepatic complications in 23 such cases. The most striking changes were portal tract expansion due to oedema and fibrosis, with proliferation of bile ducts. Although common, these changes were not severe, and no patient had developed secondary biliary cirrhosis. Other features of note were intrahepatic cholestasis, iron overload (56.5%), copper-associated protein stained with the orcein technique (34.7%) and mild fatty change or perivenular sclerosis in 13%. It is concluded that no serious, irreversible pathological changes occurred in the liver despite clinically marked biliary obstruction.     

Marked alkaline phosphatase elevation with partial common bile duct obstruction due to calcific pancreatitis.

This study characterizes a syndrome of partial common bile duct obstruction and marked elevation in serum alkaline phosphatase in 6 male alcoholic patients with calcific pancreatitis. In each patient, a marked elevation in serum alkaline phosphatase was associated with minimal, if any, elevation in serum bilirubin. In all cases, the alkaline phosphatase was hepatic in origin, and intravenous or operative cholangiography showed a dilated common bile duct. Liver biopsy showed canalicular bile stasis in 4 patients and bile duct proliferation in 2 patients. This study demonstrates that calcific pancreatitis may cause partial bile duct obstruction which differentially increases serum alkaline phosphatase without altering bilirubin or bromsulphthalein excretion.     

Impaired response of main pancreatic duct to secretin stimulation in early chronic pancreatitis

In the present study we compared sonographic measurements of the main pancreatic duct (MPD) following maximal secretin stimulation (75 CU intravenous in 1 min) in 15 chronic pancreatitis patients (CP) with those of 18 normal control subjects. The mean caliber of the main pancreatic duct was 1.2 +/- 0.4 mm in controls and 1.8 +/- 0.9 in patients with chronic pancreatitis (P less than 0.025). In the control group a dilatation of the duct with a peak at the third minute was found. In patients with chronic pancreatitis a flatter profile of the response curve with a slower increase and inconstant return to basal values was found. A statistically significant difference was found between absolute variations of MPD caliber over basal values (1.7 +/- 1.06 in controls vs 0.8 +/- 0.69 in CP, P less than 0.005) and the dilatation index [(Dmax - D)/D] (1.31 +/- 0.6 in controls vs 0.66 +/- 0.69 in CP, P less than 0.005). The mean percent increase at the third minute was 131% in control subjects vs 53% of patients with CP (P less than 0.0005). In the five cases of CP showing a caliber increase greater than 100%, a persistent dilatation (100-200%) was found 15 min after secretin administration. At this time, the mean percent increase over basal value in controls was 25%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Biliary obstruction due to pancreatic insulinoma

Summary Pancreatic insulinomas are rare tumors and their association with polycystic disease of the liver is uncommon. We report here a patient with pancreatic insulinoma with hepatic metastasis and biliary obstruction presenting with neuroglycopenic symptoms and cholestasis on a background of polycystic liver disease.     

Long-term prognosis of patients with endoscopically treated postoperative bile duct stricture and bile duct stricture due to chronic pancreatitis

Aim:  To compare the outcome of endoscopic therapy for postoperative benign bile duct stricture and benign bile duct stricture due to chronic pancreatitis, including long-term prognosis.
Methods:  The subjects were 20 patients with postoperative benign bile duct stricture and 13 patients with bile duct stricture due to chronic pancreatitis who were 2 years or more after initial therapy. The patients underwent transpapillary drainage with tube exchange every 3 to 6 months until being free from the tube. Successful therapy was defined as a stent-free condition without hepatic disorder.
Results:  Endoscopic therapy was successful in 90% (18/20) of the patients with postoperative bile duct stricture. The stent was removed (stent free) in 100% (20/20) of the patients, but jaundice resolved in only 10% (2/20) of patients while biliary enzymes kept increasing. Restricture occurred in 5% (1/20) of the patients, but after repeat treatment the stent could be removed. In patients with bile duct stricture due to chronic pancreatitis the therapy was successful in only 7.7% (1/13) of the patients; the stent was retained in 92.3% (12/13) of the patients during a long period. Severe acute pancreatitis occurred in 3.0% (1/33) of the patients as an accidental symptom attributable to endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP); however, it remitted after conservative treatment.
Conclusion:  Our results further confirm the usefulness of endoscopic therapy for postoperative benign bile duct strictures and good long-term prognosis of the patients.     

Pain in chronic pancreatitis: Managing beyond the pancreatic duct

Chronic pancreatitis(CP)continues to be a clinical challenge.Persistent or recurrent abdominal pain is the most compelling symptom that drives patients to seek medical care.Unfortunately,in spite of using several treatment approaches in the clinical setting,there is no single specific treatment modality that can be earmarked as a cure for this disease.Traditionally,ductal hypertension has been associated with causation of pain in CP;and patients are often subjected to endotherapy and surgery with a goal to decompress the pancreatic duct.Recent studies on humans(clinical and laboratory based)and experimental models have put forward several mechanisms,including neuroimmune alterations,which could be responsible for pain.This might explain the partial or no response to single modality treatment in a significant proportion of patients.The current review discusses the recent concepts of pain generation in CP and evidence based therapeutic approaches(other than ductal decompression)to handle persistent or recurrent pain.We focus primarily on parenchymal and neural components;and discuss the role of antioxidants and the existing controversies,drugs that interfere with neural transmission,pancreatic enzyme supplementation,celiac neurolysis,and pancreatic resection procedures.The review concludes with the treatment approach that we follow at our institute.     

Common bile duct obstruction due to candidiasis

Biliary obstruction with its wide range of potential causes (e.g. neoplastic lesions, gallstones and inflammatory processes) is a common disease in gastroenterology. Although infections with Candida and other fungal species have increasingly been recognized in patients with certain predispositions, fungal involvement of the biliary tract is extremely rare. We report the case of a male patient with a past history of long-time mechanical ventilation and who was referred to our department with cholangitis. Endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography (ERCP) of the septic patient revealed a high-degree stenosis of the distal common bile duct with a prestenotic dilation which was strongly suspicious of an underlying malignancy. Control ERCP revealed a beads-like deformation of the intra- and extrahepatic bile duct system which was compatible with chronic secondary sclerosing cholangitis. Examining the bile duct system with a balloon catheter, a long tubular. filamentous structure with several branches at its sides could be extracted and was assessed histologically to be a Candida conglomerate. Candida colonization of the bile duct was confirmed by microbiological analysis of aspirated bile.     

慢性胰腺炎合并胰管结石临床特点及治疗的探讨

目的 探讨慢性胰腺炎合并胰管结石临床特点及治疗方式.方法 我院及天津市南开医院2005年3月至2011年11月收治的慢性胰腺炎合并胰管结石患者30例进行回顾性分析.结果 长期酗酒和胆道疾病是慢性胰腺炎合并胰管结石的主要病因.上腹痛为最常见的临床表现.B超及CT为最常用的检查手段.2例胰管结石患者行手术治疗,18例胰管结石患者采用内镜治疗,效果满意.结论 慢性胰腺炎胰管结石的临床症状缺乏特异性,诊治比较复杂,目前手术仍然是最主要的手段,但应采取个体化手术方案.对于较局限的胰管结石,内镜治疗有其很大的优越性.