[Diagnosis and treatment of one hundred and eighty-nine patients with chronic pancreatitis].

OBJECTIVE: To summarize the experience of the diagnosis and therapy of chronic pancreatitis (CP). METHODS: 189 patients with chronic pancreatitis confirmed surgically from 1983 to Aug 1999 admitted in our hospital were retrospectively studied. RESULTS: Of all 189 patients, the average age was forty-eight years old. The ratio of male to female is 2.1:1. The proportion of confirmed diagnosis to CP is 51.3% within one year and 80.4% within the first five years. The positive rate for diagnosis was 71.9% by CT and 76.9% by ERCP respectively. The positive rate of PABA was 69.7%. While 136(72%) patients received operations, the rate of complication was low. One patient died of infection after pancreatic fistula at the seventh day after surgery, and 97.8% of patients suffered less pain. CONCLUSIONS: The early diagnosis of CP is difficult. As a delicate operation program set at appropriate time is of vital importance for modifying the course of the disease and improving patients' life quality.