Evidence Based Surgical Treatments for Chronic Pancreatitis: A Systematic Review and Meta analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

BackgroundIf conservative treatment of chronic pancreatitis is unsuccessful, surgery is an option. The choice of the most suitable surgical method can be difficult, as the indications, advantages, and disadvantages of the available methods have not yet been fully documented with scientific evidence.MethodsIn April 2015, we carried out a temporally unlimited systematic search for publications on surgery for chronic pancreatitis. The target parameters were morbidity, mortality, pain, endocrine and exocrine insufficiency, weight gain, quality of life, length of hospital stay, and duration of surgery. Differences between surgical methods were studied with network meta-analysis, and duodenum-preserving operations were compared with partial duodenopancreatectomy with standard meta-analysis.ResultsAmong the 326 articles initially identified, 8 randomized controlled trials on a total of 423 patients were included in the …