Effect of pancreatic endotherapy on quality of life in chronic pancreatitis patients: A systematic review

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic endotherapy provides treatment options for the management of chronic pancreatitis-related structural complications such as pancreatic duct stones, strictures, and pancreatic fluid collections. Most studies detailing endotherapy, however, have focused on technical success outcomes such as stone clearance or stricture resolution. AIM: To review the effect of pancreatic endotherapy on patient-centered outcomes. METHODS: Systematic review of studies examining pancreatic endotherapy. RESULTS: A total of 13 studies including 3 randomized clinical trials were included. The majority of studies found an improvement in quality of life with pancreatic endotherapy. CONCLUSION: While pancreatic endotherapy does appear to improve quality of life, there are clear gaps in knowledge regarding many pancreatic endotherapy modalities. Furthermore, qualitative analysis is lacking in these studies and further work is needed to elucidate the patient experience with pancreatic endotherapy.