http://www.ddc.musc.edu/ddc_pub/patientInfo/surgeries/pancreatic/whipplePatientLetter.htm~snip~ On April 7, 1998 I underwent a Whipple procedure. My diagnosis was mucinous ductal ectasia of the pancreas (MDE). The gastroenterologists' at MUSC made the diagnosis. My physicians in Miami, Florida had referred me to MUSC, as they were not certain what I had. I am a physician myself. MDE is a rare condition but is recently being diagnosed more frequently. Whether this is due to better techniques such as endoscopic ultrasound or ERCP or its just becoming more common is unclear. MDE is a premalignant growth that lines the insides of the pancreatic ducts like a rug. This abnormal growth of cells produces mucin, which like mucous, blocks the pancreatic ducts. This in turn causes bouts of pancreatitis. Eventually, the pancreas becomes seriously damaged (chronic pancreatitis and atrophy) and this leads to diabetes or malabsorption problems. Patients can have abdominal pain, bloating, and diarrhea. In my case I only had one severe bout of pancreatitis occurring just five months prior to my surgery. I may have had two previous milder episodes of pancreatitis in 1996 and 1987, but I didn't know it at the time. I just thought I had a bad stomach virus that lasted about 24-48 hours. It is apparent to me now after the surgery, that my pancreas was slowly being destroyed by this condition over a 10-15 year period of time (maybe even longer) and I had no knowledge of this while it was occurring. ~snip~
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
