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©2014 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastrointest Oncol. Sep 15, 2014; 6(9): 325-329
Published online Sep 15, 2014. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.v6.i9.325
Published online Sep 15, 2014. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.v6.i9.325
Considerations on pancreatic exocrine function after pancreaticoduodenectomy
Francisco José Morera-Ocon, Luis Sabater-Orti, Elena Muñoz-Forner, Joaquín Ortega-Serrano, Department of General Surgery, Hospital Clinico de Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain
Jaime Pérez-Griera, Clinical Analysis Laboratory, Hospital Clinico de Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain
Author contributions: Morera-Ocon FJ and Sabater-Oti L wrote and designed the manuscript; Muñoz-forner E and Ortega-Serrano J were also involved in editing the manuscript; Pérez-Griera J performed the lab analysis and described the analytical methods.
Correspondence to: Francisco José Morera-Ocon, PhD, Department of General Surgery, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valencia, Avenida Blasco Ibáñez, 17, 46010 Valencia, Spain. fmoreraocon@aecirujanos.es
Telephone: +34-96-3862600 Fax: +34-96-3392015
Received: August 14, 2013
Revised: September 25, 2013
Accepted: November 15, 2013
Published online: September 15, 2014
Revised: September 25, 2013
Accepted: November 15, 2013
Published online: September 15, 2014
Core Tip
Core tip: Many patients present pancreatic exocrine insufficiency after pancreatic resection. Exocrine insufficiency leads to steatorrhoea, flatulence, abdominal pain, weight loss and malnutrition. Extent of resection will determine the severity of insufficiency, but also changes in anatomy may be determining factors. Pancreatogastrostomy is deemed detrimental over the pancreatic function because of the hypothetical inactivation of pancreatic enzymes due to the acid juice of the stomach. In this review we discuss the physiological aspects of the changes in exocrine pancreatic function focusing on the pancreatoenterostomy after a pancreaticoduodenectomy.