Assessment of resectability
Pancreatic protocol CT or MRI defines the relationship of the tumour to the portal vein, superior mesenteric vessels and coeliac axis. Borderline resectable tumours receive chemotherapy first and are restaged. Biliary drainage may be needed before surgery if jaundice is deep.
The operation and its risks
Typically five to eight hours with three anastomoses. The main specific risks are pancreatic fistula, delayed gastric emptying and bleeding, which is why it is performed with planned high-dependency care and a defined complication pathway.
Recovery
Hospital stay is commonly eight to fourteen days. Pancreatic enzyme replacement with meals, blood sugar monitoring and dietetic follow-up are standard, and adjuvant chemotherapy is usually recommended.
Common questions
- Will I become diabetic?
- Some patients develop diabetes or worsening glycaemic control after pancreatic resection; it is monitored and treated proactively.
- Can it be done minimally invasively?
- Robotic and laparoscopic Whipple surgery is performed in selected patients at high-volume centres. Open surgery remains appropriate for vascular involvement or after neoadjuvant therapy.
This page is general education, reviewed by Dr. Ishaan Allahabadi, MCh Surgical Oncology (Edge Hill, UK) · MS Surgery · MBBS (Accredited by the Royal College of Surgeons of England). It is not a substitute for individual medical advice. Treatment decisions are made after reviewing your imaging and pathology, in a multidisciplinary tumour board.