What is the recovery time for pancreatic surgery?

You will probably be able to return to work or your normal routine in about 1 month. It will probably take about 3 months for your strength to come back fully. You may need more treatment for the cancer, such as chemotherapy or radiation. Most people regain their normal appetite in about 8 weeks.

Does a Whipple procedure remove the entire pancreas?

During this procedure, surgeons remove the head of the pancreas, most of the duodenum (a part of the small intestine), a portion of the bile duct, the gallbladder and associated lymph nodes. In some cases, the surgeon may remove the body of the pancreas, the entire duodenum and a portion of the stomach.

What happens if they remove your pancreas?

It’s possible to live without a pancreas. But when the entire pancreas is removed, people are left without the cells that make insulin and other hormones that help maintain safe blood sugar levels. These people develop diabetes, which can be hard to manage because they are totally dependent on insulin shots.

How is pancreatic surgery done?

During the procedure, your doctor glides an endoscope with a tiny video camera on the end through the mouth, down the throat and stomach, and into the small intestine, adjacent to the pancreas. Using the endoscope, your doctor finds an opening in the intestine that connects to the pancreatic and bile ducts.

How painful is Whipple surgery?

How will I feel after having the Whipple procedure? Following the surgery, you may experience pain from the incision. You can resume eating and drinking by mouth several days after surgery. At first, the stomach may not empty well, causing a bloated or full feeling.

Can the pancreas be removed if cancerous?

Pancreatic cancer patients may also undergo a distal pancreatectomy or complete pancreatectomy, which involve removing some or all of their pancreas. The appropriate surgery is selected based on the size and location of the tumor within the patient’s pancreas and other eligibility criteria.

How difficult is pancreatic surgery?

If pancreatic problems develop, they can be quite serious. Some conditions respond well to medicines, but many require surgical treatment. Because the pancreas is hard to reach, pancreatic surgery is challenging and requires a high level of expertise.

How serious is pancreatitis surgery?

Up to half of patients develop serious complications and 2 to 4 percent do not survive the procedure — one of the highest mortality rates for any operation. One common complication is leakage of fluid from the pancreas after the surgery, often in large amounts that can cause an abscess and lead to infection and sepsis.

Can a portion of the pancreas be removed?

Pancreatectomy. A partial pancreatectomy involves removing part of the pancreas, such as the body or tail, during a Puestow or Whipple procedure. A total pancreatectomy involves removing the entire pancreas.

What is the life expectancy after Whipple surgery?

Overall, the five-year survival rate after a Whipple procedure is about 20 to 25%. Even if the procedure successfully removes the visible tumor, it’s possible that some cancer cells have already spread elsewhere in the body, where they can form new tumors and eventually cause death.