Surgery for intractable pain in a patient with chronic pancreatitis complicated with biliary obstruction, portal vein stenosis and mesenteric venous collaterals

Pancreatic head resection for chronic pancreatitis is a challenging procedure, in the presence of venous collaterals, cavernous transformation, extensive fibrosis or porto-mesenteric stenosis or thrombosis. We present a surgically treated patient for the intractable pain of chronic pancreatitis. Complications with biliary obstruction and portal vein stenosis/thrombosis resulted in cavernous transformation. A pancreaticoduodenectomy combined with portal vein resection was intended in a 51 year-old male, but the procedure was terminated due to the high risk associated with intraoperative bleeding. The surgical procedure was switched to a Frey procedure, wherein partial pancreatic head resection, drainage of the pancreatic canal and sufficient pain palliation, without an increased risk of intraoperative hemorrhage, was ensured. The procedure was successfully combined with bilio-enteric anastomosis.