Endoscopic pancreatography in evaluating results of pancreatico jejunostomy

It has been difficult, employing clinical methods, to establish whether pancreaticoenteric drainage shunts for chronic pancreatitis have remained patent and how the operation has affected the inflammatory changes and ductal pathological morphology. In an attempt to objectively evaluate postoperative results, 13 patients with 2 different types of pancreatico jejunostomies were examined with endoscopic pancreatography. Progress of the inflammatory changes was noted to a varying degree in the majority of cases. In 4 patients subjected to longitudinal split of the pancreatic duct, shunt patency was evidenced. In the remaining 9 patients with caudal pancreaticojejunostomy, no contrast medium could be made to pass the shunts in 6 cases, whereas passage was clearly demonstrated in 1 and uncertain in 2. All the patients reported clinical improvement after operation.