Transduodenal extended sphincteroplasty and removal of ventral duct pancreatic calculi.

The surgical treatment of chronic pancreatitis and associated ductal calculi typically involves drainage of the main pancreatic duct or parenchymal resection. Treatment of isolated symptomatic pancreatic duct calculi is usually approached by endoscopic techniques. Herein is described a case report of operative transduodenal extraction of symptomatic pancreatic calculi of the ventral pancreas in a patient with a prior distal pancreatectomy. This case represents an uncommon yet valuable option in selected patients in whom endoscopic treatments have failed or are unavailable.