Overview
A pancreaticduodenectomy, or whipple is a type of surgery performed for problems originating in the pancreas. The Whipple surgery includes removing the head of the pancreas, the first portion of the small intestines (duodenum), the gallbladder, a portion of the bile duct, surrounding lymph nodes, and portions of the stomach.
In many cases, a modification of the procedure can be performed that keeps the entire stomach intact. This is referred to as Pylorus-Preserving Pancreaticoduodenectomy and may allow you to eat more normally after surgery.
This surgery may be performed for many disease processes in the pancreatic head:
- Cancer
- Pre-cancerous tissue
- Cancer in the bile duct
- Cancerous or non-cancerous tumors or weak spots in the duodenum
- Chronic pancreatitis