Choledochoduodenostomy. Analysis of 71 cases followed for 5 to 15 years.

To investigate the long-term effectiveness of choledochoduodenostomy (CDD), the experience with 71 patients followed for 5 or more years after CDD was analyzed retrospectively. From 1968 to 1984, 134 patients underwent CDD. Eight patients (6%) died in the immediate postoperative period, 55 left the hospital, 8 of them were lost to follow-up, and 47 were followed but died before 5 years elapsed after CDD.

Lateral pancreaticojejunostomy for pain relief in chronic pancreatitis: analysis of effectiveness in 19 patients.

To assess the relief of pain provided by a side-to-side lateral pancreaticojejunostomy (LPJ), we analyzed 19 patients with chronic pancreatitis operated on from 1973 to 1983. Fourteen patients were chronic alcoholics; abdominal pain was the indication for the operation in most patients; one patient died postoperatively. The pain was relieved in all 18 survivors, from 12 to 72 months in 15; in three the pain has recurred, suggesting that LPJ is effective in ablating the pain in patients with chronic pancreatitis, provided the pancreatic duct measures more than 6 mm in diameter, the length of the LPJ is at least 6 cm, and patients abstain from alcohol ingestion.

Extrarectal colonic carcinoma: analysis of 138 cases with long-term follow-up.

To identify factors that determine long-term survival after resection of extrarectal colonic cancer, we analyzed 138 such patients operated upon in a five-year period. Because rectal tumors have lower survival rates, they were excluded hoping to enhance the prognostic accuracy of the study. The sigmoid colon was the most common location of the tumor (59%) followed by the ascending (19%), the transverse (15%), and the descending colon (9%).

Reliability of pre- and intraoperative tests for biliary lithiasis.

The records of 242 patients, operated consecutively for biliary lithiasis, were analyzed to determine the reliability of oral cholecystography (OCG), ultrasonography (US), and HIDA in detecting biliary calculi. Preoperative interpretations were correlated to operative findings. OCG obtained in 138 patients was accurate in 92%.