Are there still indications for total pancreatectomy?

Abstract

Total pancreatectomy is associated with short- and long-term high complication rate and without evidence of oncologic advantages. Several metabolic consequences are co-related with the apancreatic state. The unstable diabetes related to the total resection of the pancreas expose the patients to short- and long-term life-threatening complications. Severe hypoglycemia is a short-term dangerous complication that can also cause patients’ death. Chronic complications of severe diabetes (cardiac and vascular diseases, neuropathy, nephropathy, and retinopathy) are also cause of morbidity, mortality and worsening of quality of life. For this reasons the number of total pancreatectomies performed has certainly decreased over time. However, today there are still some indications for this kind of procedures. Chronic pancreatitis untreatable with conventional treatments, surgical treatment of precancerous pancreatic lesions, surgical treatment of locally advanced pancreatic cancer and the management of patients with extraordinary high-risk pancreatic texture after pancreaticoduodenectomy represent possible indications for total pancreatectomy and are analyzed in the present paper.