Influence of opioid use on surgical and long-term outcome after resection for chronic pancreatitis

The outcome of pancreatic resection for chronic pancreatitis in patients with preoperative opioid use is not well described. During 1997 to 2003, 112 of 231 patients referred with chronic pancreatitis underwent pancreatic resection. The outcome of patients who had preoperative opioid use (N=46) was compared with those without (N=66). Patients who used opioids presented at a younger age and had a younger age of symptom onset, longer symptom duration, more hospitalizations, a higher frequency of diabetes mellitus, a higher pain score, and more restriction in daily activity (all P