Treatment in

Pancreas Surgery

University of Minnesota Medical Center is the only medical center in the Twin Cities metro area to be named a National Pancreas Foundation Center. Only 30 medical centers nationwide received this designation, which recognizes centers that focus on multidisciplinary treatment of pancreatitis.

Overview

Pancreas surgery can be required for several conditions, including pancreatitis and pancreas cancer. Chronic pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas, an organ located behind your stomach that helps you digest food. It can be caused by many conditions, including gallstones, heredity, or structural issues involving your pancreatic duct drainage.

There are several kinds of pancreas surgery. The most common surgery for pancreatic cancer is the Whipple procedure, in which the head of the pancreas, the gallbladder, the bile duct, and parts of the stomach and small intestine are removed. Distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy surgeries are used for tumors in the middle and tail of the pancreas.

Some surgeries can be performed laparoscopically or by using a robotic device. Others require open procedures. All require general anesthesia. With a total pancreatectomy, which is rare, the pancreas, gallbladder, spleen, parts of the stomach and small intestine, and nearby lymph nodes are removed.

University of Minnesota Medical Center is the only medical center in the Twin Cities metro area to be named a National Pancreas Foundation Center. Only 30 medical centers nationwide received this designation, which recognizes centers that focus on multidisciplinary treatment of pancreatitis.

Our approach

Physicians in our Pancreas and Biliary Clinic at the University of Minnesota Medical Center treat diseases of the pancreas, bile duct, and gallbladder. They provide diagnosis, treatment, surgery, and transplant, if necessary. Researchers here at the university also work across the boundaries of our specialties to collaborate on treatment plans.

We use advanced minimally invasive techniques, such as the Whipple procedure, along with a combination of radiation and chemotherapy, to treat pancreatic diseases. This improves outcomes and offers a better quality of life. We also offer clinical trial opportunities to patients who qualify.

We also provide total pancreatectomy with islet auto-transplantation (TP-IAT), which can mean the end of pain and the start of getting life back on track for many people. During a pancreatectomy, a surgeon removes your pancreas, which relieves the pain. But without the islet cells in the pancreas that make insulin, you will likely develop diabetes.