[Trends in surgery for chronic pancreatitis (author's transl)].

: Improved preoperative assessment (ERCP, sonography, computer tomography) of pathological changes of the pancreas has impressively changed indications for surgery, timing of the operation and surgical methods used. Intraoperative diagnostics have lost ground due to newer techniques. The aim of surgical treatment is pain relief and the prevention of complications (cholestasis, duodenal stenosis, segmental portal hypertension). Introduction of endoscopic duct visualisation was followed by an increase of resecting techniques based on impressiveness of pathology of ductal changes. Non-invasive methods such as sonography and computer assisted tomography have improved definition of pathological changes and re-encouraged less radical surgery using drainage and anastomosing techniques. Therapeutic consequences of diagnostic progress are demonstrated in 503 cases treated surgically between 1964 and 1981.