HISTOLOGIC-CHANGES AFTER STENTING OF THE PANCREATIC DUCT

The placement of stents has been proposed as a possible modality to tr eat pancreatic diseases. Ductal changes observed on endoscopic retrogr ade cholangiopancreatography during stenting are believed to be revers ible when the stents are removed. We describe a patient with normal an atomy on baseline pancreatograms who underwent endoscopic sphincteroto my, followed by stent placement for 9 months. Symptoms progressed, lea ding to a pancreaticoduodenectomy. Histologic evaluation of the head o f the pancreas revealed more extensive inflammatory changes in the duc t and parenchyma drained by the stent. This suggests that stent-induce d changes noted on pancreatography correspond to parenchymal changes t hat may be severe and irreversible.