Advances in the Management of Pain in Chronic Pancreatitis

The data on recent advances in managing chronic pancreatitis (CP) pain is limited. This review highlights the role of endotherapy and the advances in the overall management of pain in CP.

Of late, pancreatic biodegradable stents have been used in endotherapy with appreciable success. These include slow, medium, and fast degrading stents, which optimize the overall management of CP and could prevent the need for multiple procedures. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided celiac plexus block is reserved in selected patients to treat debilitating pain. Total pancreatectomy with islet autotransplantation in small duct disease has shown promising results. The indications for treating pain in CP with endoscopy and surgery need to be better defined.

The complexity of pain control due to the incomplete understanding of pathomorphology makes the management of CP challenging. The current treatment methods are still evolving. Therapy aims to reduce pain, optimize recovery, maintain quality of life, and meet postoperative needs. Initial management includes lifestyle modification, nutrition optimization, risk factor reduction with abstinence from alcohol, cessation of tobacco and smoking. Supportive medical management involves the judicial use of analgesics, neuromodulators, antioxidants, pancreatic enzyme replacement for insufficiency, and diabetes management. Patients with intractable pain are ideal for therapeutic intervention. Being less invasive with an acceptable complication rate makes endotherapy the preferred first-line treatment. If found to be cost-effective, biodegradable stents can reduce the overall cost. Unfortunately, if patients remain symptomatic, surgery is preferred in case of failure or recurrence. For optimal results, appropriate patient selection is vital to maximizing outcomes.