Clinical gastroenterology and hepatology : the official clinical practice journal of the American Gastroenterological Association
-
Clin. Gastroenterol. Hepatol. · Sep 2011
Quality of life improves for pediatric patients after total pancreatectomy and islet autotransplant for chronic pancreatitis.
Total pancreatectomy (TP) and islet autotransplant (IAT) have been used to treat patients with painful chronic pancreatitis. Initial studies indicated that most patients experienced significant pain relief, but there were few validated measures of quality of life. We investigated whether health-related quality of life improved among pediatric patients undergoing TP/IAT. ⋯ Quality of life (physical and emotional components) significantly improve after TP/IAT in subsets of pediatric patients with severe chronic pancreatitis. Minimal or no insulin was required for most patients, although islet yield was reduced in patients with previous surgical drainage operations.