Chronic Pancreatitis

Hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery is a relatively new specialty and the vast majority of patients present initially outside tertiary referral centres. Many conditions such as gallstones, acute and chronic pancreatitis, obstructive jaundice and malignancies of the liver, biliary tract and pancreas are still managed outside specialist centres or are not suitable for referral.

This book provides an evidence-based approach to the diagnosis and surgical management of the diseases of the pancreas and biliary tree, highlighting the most recent findings. The chapters are designed to accompany the reader on a step-by-step approach to the patient, providing the latest evidence to justify each recommendation. Wherever feasible and indicated, emphasis is placed on the use of tables and algorithms to simplify decision-making.

The major purpose of this book is to offer the reader a better understanding of the challenging aspects in pancreatic pathology, starting with anatomy and following with different pancreatic pathology. More space is allotted to pancreatic cancer, including surgical procedures, and to the management of the cystic lesions of the pancreas. This book is meant to provide a thorough guide for the best approaches in some of the difficult problems in pancreatology.