Thirteen required no further medications or hospitalizations after surgery. Pancreatitis in adults is generally related to lifestyle choices, such as alcohol abuse. Chronic pancreatitis is rare in children and most often caused by heredity factors, abnormalities in the ductal anatomy, and associated disorders such as cystic fibrosis and hyperparathyroidism. The disease is generally progressive and can be difficult to treat. Symptoms include abdominal anorexia, nausea and pain.
Many children report pain when eating, and weight loss is common.
Patients in this study suffered from a severe form of the condition, with chronic abdominal pain affecting their lives almost on a daily basis. Only 2 of the 18 children reported pain-free periods exceeding 4 weeks at a time prior to surgery. By contrast, two of the children who received a more conservative operation that did not involve removing part of the pancreas did not improve with that procedure.