The role of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy in the treatment of chronic pancreatitis

Pain is the most frequent symptom in chronic pancreatitis (CP) and has an important impact on quality of life. One of its major pathophysiological mechanisms is ductal hypertension, caused by main pancreatic duct stones and/or strictures. In this article, we focus on extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) as a treatment for main pancreatic duct stones, which have been reported in >50% of CP patients. ESWL uses acoustic pulses to generate compressive stress on the stones, resulting in their gradual fragmentation. In patients with radiopaque obstructive main pancreatic duct (MPD) stones larger than 5 mm, located in the pancreas head or body, ESWL improves ductal clearance, thereby relieving pain and improving quality of life. In case of insufficient ductal clearance or the presence of an MPD stricture, ESWL can be followed by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) to increase success rate. Alternatively, direct pancreaticoscopy with intracorporeal lithotripsy or surgery can be performed.