Beger and Frey procedures for treatment of chronic pancreatitis: comparison of outcomes at 16-year follow-up.

Chronic pancreatitis is a chronic inflammatory disorder characterized by progressive fibrosis of pancreatic tissue. The principal symptom is chronic pain resulting in reduced quality of life and inability to work. Short-term follow-up has shown that duodenum-preserving pancreatic head resections (DPPHRs) are superior in outcomes to pancreaticoduodenectomy. Therefore, these organ-sparing procedures have gained wide acceptance. This trial was conducted to compare patient outcomes 16 years after treatment for chronic pancreatitis by means of the Beger or the Frey procedure.Seventy-four patients suffering from chronic pancreatitis were randomly assigned to 2 treatment groups (Beger n = 38) and Frey (n = 36). The perioperative courses in the randomized controlled trial and the 8-year follow-up have been reported previously. All participating patients were contacted with a standardized, validated questionnaire to evaluate long-term survival, quality of life, pain, and exocrine and endocrine function.No significant differences between the 2 groups in terms of quality of life, pain control, or other somatic parameters were detected after a median of 16 years postoperatively. Mortality was comparable after Beger and Frey procedures at 39% vs 34%, respectively, with postoperative survivals of 13.0 ± 1.1 years and 13.3 ± 0.9 years, respectively (p = 0.660). No statistically significant differences were found in rates of endocrine insufficiency (Beger 87% vs Frey 86%; p = 0.953) or exocrine insufficiency (Beger 77% vs Frey 83%; p = 0.655).Duodenum-preserving resections of the pancreatic head offered good and permanent pain relief and substantially increased quality of life in chronic pancreatitis. Overall, a 16-year long-term follow-up found comparable outcomes for the Beger and Frey procedures.