The Whipple procedure, also known as a pancreatoduodenectomy, is the most common surgical treatment for pancreatic cancer. According to the Mayo Clinic, only 20 percent of people with pancreatic cancer have tumors (abnormal cell growths) that can be removed.
Features
The Whipple procedure involves removing the head of your pancreas, gallbladder, bile duct and part of your small intestine called the duodenum. The Ohio University State Medical Center states that the surgery can last four to six hours.
Complication
The Mayo Clinic states that complications of the Whipple procedure include weight loss, diabetes (condition of high blood sugar) and leakage of pancreatic juices. Complications are usually rare.
Post-Operation
The Whipple procedure is major surgery, so you will be placed in the surgical intensive care unit (SICU) for observation once the surgery is completed. You may be placed on a ventilator to help you breathe and you may have tubes running outside of your body to drain the fluids from the procedure.
Prognosis
According to the University of Southern California Department of Surgery, 20 percent of patients survive five years after undergoing the Whipple procedure.
Follow-up
Schedule an appointment to meet with your surgeon three weeks after you leave the hospital. Your surgeon will remove any drainage tubes, assess your appetite and recommend further treatments.
