Pancreatic Surgery Like Whipples

What Is a Whipple Procedure?

The Whipple procedure, or pancreaticoduodenectomy, is the most common surgery to remove tumors in the pancreas. Surgery to remove a tumor offers the best chance for long-term control of all pancreatic cancer types. The Whipple removes and reconstructs a large part of the gastrointestinal tract and is a difficult and complex operation.

What Happens During the Procedure?

In a standard Whipple procedure, the surgeon removes the head of the pancreas, the gallbladder, the duodenum, a portion of the stomach and surrounding lymph nodes. The surgeon then reconnects the remaining pancreas and digestive organs.

In some cases, patients may undergo a modified version of the Whipple procedure, which keeps the entire stomach and the stomach valve called the pylorus. This is called a pylorus-preserving Whipple.

Both types of surgery typically take 5-7 hours.