Surgical treatment of chronic pancreatitis in children

Abstract

Chronic pancreatitis in children is a continuous or recurrent disease characterized by irreversible inflammatory and destructive changes in the pancreas (PG), progressive fibrosis, accompanied by a gradual decrease in its exocrine and endocrine functions. In recent decades, there has been a significant increase in patients with CP; the incidence in children is estimated at 2 cases per 100,000 people. According to the literature, pancreatic cancer in the outcome of chronic pancreatitis in childhood is 6.2%. Mortality rates for CP vary in different studies: 15-20% of children with CP die from complications and secondary disorders. The purpose of the study is to study current problems and determine the prospects for the treatment of chronic pancreatitis in children based on a review of modern literature. Materials and methods. As part of the preparation, a systematic review of the world and domestic literature on the surgical treatment of chronic pancreatitis in children was carried out. Results. A literature search confirmed the lack of consensus regarding the surgical treatment of CP in children. The small number of observations does not allow us to analyze the long-term results of surgical treatment of children with CP. Patients with hereditary pancreatitis pose a particular challenge; treatment algorithms for this group of patients are not described in the literature. Also in the literature there are isolated descriptions of complications with CP in children; there are no reliable results of the effectiveness of surgical intervention for endocrine and exocrine insufficiency in children. It is necessary to conduct scientific and practical research to develop indications for surgical treatment of children with CP and to verify specific complications.