ObjectiveTo explore clinical efficacy of Frey procedures for chronic pancreatitis. MethodsThirty two patients with chronic pancreatitis who underwent Frey procedures in our hospital from June 2000 to October 2009 were analyzed retrospectively. The rate of perioperative complications, pain relief, and especially endocrine and exocrine function of pancreas in longterm followup (mean 43 months) were analyzed. ResultsNo death occurred in all patients. Fat liquefaction of wound was found in two patients and pancreatic fistula was found in one patient, who was cured by conventional treatment. So the rate of perioperative complications was 9.4%(3/32). After Frey procedures, pain disappeared completely in sixteen patients (50.0%), pain relieved in fourteen patients (43.8%) and two cases were ineffective. Therefore, the rate of pain relief in longterm follow-up was 93.8%. The hospitalization was (11±2) d. After surgical treatment the illness of five patients with diabetes mellitus did not aggravate while new onset of diabetes mellitus was observed in three cases. For three cases who suffered from indigestion and steatorrhea, symptomatic relief was found in one patient treated by oral administration of pancreatin and inefficacy was observed in two cases. But four patients with new steatorrhea were found after operation. ConclusionUnder the strict surgical indications, Frey procedure is a safe and effective surgical method for the treatment of chronic pancreatitis.
Objective To compare the surgical outcome of surgical treatment for chronic pancreatic head mass pancreatitis combined with pancreatic duct stones. Methods Clinical data of 19 patients diagnosed as chronic pancreatic head mass pancreatitis combined with pancreatic duct stones by pathology in our hospital were analyzed retrospectively and patients were divided into Beger group (n=9) and Frey group (n=10) according to operation type. Results The duration of operation, blood loss, morbidity, ratio of postoperative pancreatic fistula of grade B, ratio of abdominal cavity infection, ratio of gastric emptying dysfunction, total length of hospital stay, and total hospitalization cost in Frey group were less or lower than those in Beger group significantly (P ＜0.05). None of death or pancreatic fistula of grade C happened in both 2 groups, and abdominal pain and jaundice were subsided in all patients. There were 18 patients (94.7%) were followed up for (8.6±2.5) years ( 5-12 years), and just 1 patient of Frey group was not available for followup. The ratios of 5-year pain subsided of 2 groups were both 7/9, there was no significant difference between the 2 groups (P>0.05). During the follow-up period, there was no dead, relapsed, cancerate or reoperation, but 2 patients suffered from diabetes (1 patient of Frey group and 1 patient of Beger group), 2 patients suffered from steatorrhea (1 patient of Frey group and 1 patient of Beger group), and there was no significant difference between the 2 groups in the ratios of diabetes and steatorrhea (P>0.05). Conclusion The effect is equal for Frey surgery and Beger surgery in treatment of chronic pancreatic head mass pancreatitis combined with pancreatic duct stones, but recover of patient who receives Frey surgery is better than that of Beger surgery.
Objective To explore the effect of Frey procedure on patients with chronic pancreatitis, and evaluate pain control as well as the quality of life (QOL) after Frey procedure. Methods The clinical data of 81 patients with chronic pancreatitis who underwent Frey procedure in West China Hospital of Sichuan University from January 2010 to January 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. Izbicki pain score and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC-QLQ-C30) were used to assess pain and QOL respectively. Results The mean value of operative time were (252±70) minutes (180-430 minutes), the mean value of blood loss were (220±142) mL (100-550 mL), and the mean value of hospital stay were (14.1±4.9) days (8-36 days). After Frey procedure, delayed gastric emptying occurred in 4 patients, hemorrhage occurred in 1 patient, wound infection or fat liquefaction occurred in 6 patients, abdominal infection and pyoperitoneum occurred in 4 patients, and pancreatic fistula occurred in 3 patients. All of the patients were followed up for 4-60 months, and the median time were 28 months. During the follow up period, 11 patients developed diabetes and 10 patients developed steatorrhea, respectively. In addition, the pain related score, including frequency of pain attacks, visual analogue scale of pain, analgetic medication, inability to work, and total pain score, were significantly reduced after Frey procedure (P＜0.001). Moreover, all the functional scales of EORTC -QLQ-C30, except for cognitive function, were improved postoperatively (P ＜0.001). Regarding to the symptom scales, the score of fatigue, pain, loss of appetite, and loss of body weight were significantly lower after surgery (P＜0.050). The scores of QOL after surgery were higher than before surgery (P＜0.001). Conclusion Frey procedure results in good post-operative pain control and significant improvement in qol.