Diagnosis & Treatment

At the Pancreas Center, our clinicians develop and implement the most advanced pancreatic surgery procedures available. They are dedicated to advancing efficacy of diagnosis and treatment while improving patient comfort. Learn more about specific diagnostic techniques and surgical procedures.

The location of the pancreas, surrounded by several organs and networks of nerves makes pain management essential for many patients undergoing treatment for pancreatic disorders. The Pancreas Center works closely with the Pain Management Center at Columbia University to help patients with medical and behavioral aspects of their pain control. To learn more about pain management, click here.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Pancreatitis

Managing the Condition

After clinical diagnosis of acute pancreatitis, we manage the condition by treating its symptoms. It is important to reduce the flow of pancreatic enzymes as much as possible by not eating or drinking, although intravenous fluids are usually necessary to maintain the body's biochemical balance. Oral fluid intake is restricted to inhibit stimulation of the pancreas and secretion of its enzymes. Nourishment may be given intravenously.

Determining the Cause

A gastroenterologist will then determine and treat the cause through diagnostic tests such as endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) or endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), performed by guiding a flexible endoscopic tube with an imaging device through the mouth and into the small bowel.

If the condition is caused by gallbladder disease, a cholecystectomy is usually performed, after the pancreatitis has subsided. If caused by an obstructed pancreatic duct, it may be resolved by ERCP or surgery. If a stone is present in the common bile or pancreatic ducts at the entrance to the small intestine your physician may consider a procedure to enlarge the duct so the stone can be removed.

Pseudocysts

Diagnosis for pseudocysts entails abdominal ultrasound and/or CT scan and blood amalyse testing. Treatment involves either surgical or endoscopic removal or draining.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Pancreas Cancer

Early detection can profoundly impact an individual's chances of surviving pancreatic cancer. The center has extensive advanced endoscopic and radiological expertise to visualize and biopsy pancreatic tissues, as well as one of only a few risk-assessment programs that provide safe and accurate screening strategies to identify a patient's degree of risk for developing the disease.

Our specialized team works together to obtain a patient's diagnosis and rapidly commence treatment, providing immediate access to specialists at Columbia.

Pain management can be essential for patients undergoing treatment for pancreatic disorders because the pancreas is surrounded by several organs and by a network of nerves. The Pancreas Center works closely with the Pain Management Center at Columbia University to help patients with medical and behavioral aspects of their pain control. To learn more about pain management, click here.

Surgery and Chemotherapy

Surgery to remove all cancerous tissue is the best opportunity for cure when the cancer has not spread beyond the pancreas.

There are two general types of surgical treatments used for cancer of the pancreas. Curative surgery is performed when imaging studies (CT scan, MRI) indicate a strong chance of successful resection, or complete removal of cancer. Palliative surgery is the option taken when imaging studies indicate that the tumor is too widespread to be completely removed. Palliative operations are conducted to relieve symptoms or complications such as blockage of the bile duct when compressed by the tumor. These operations are currently performed much less often than in the past because endoscopic and radiological techniques are now more successful.

Our surgeons conduct specialized operations to remove all traces of cancer tissue. Their surgical mortality rate of less than 1% is significantly lower than the nationwide rate of 4%-15%. There are several operations used for removing tumors of the pancreas. Click here to read more.

We are able to significantly improve our patients' clinical outcome by shrinking tumors before surgery using GTX (gemcitabine, taxotere, xeloda), a combination chemotherapy regimen developed by Columbia investigators. We often recommend follow-up chemotherapy and/or radiation treatments to prevent recurrence, or when cancer has spread and cannot be removed by surgery. To learn more about chemotherapy and radiation treatment at the Center, click here.