Quality of Life in Patients with Chronic Pancreatitis after Frey’s Procedure at Tertiary Care Centre: An Observational Study

TL;DR

This study shows that Frey’s procedure significantly reduces pain and improves quality of life for chronic pancreatitis patients in a South Asian setting.

Contribution

The study provides new evidence on the effectiveness of Frey’s procedure in a South Asian population.

Findings

Frey’s procedure led to a significant reduction in postoperative pain scores.

Quality of life scores improved across all domains, with a high Global Health score.

Most patients experienced no complications after the procedure.

Abstract

Approximately 90% of chronic pancreatitis patients experience chronic pain severely impairing quality of life. While medical treatment is usually the first approach, many patients ultimately require surgical intervention. Frey’s procedure provides technical advantages and favourable outcomes with a substantial reduction in chronic pain. This study aimed to assess its impact on pain relief and quality of life in a South Asian context.

A prospective observational follow-up study was conducted in May and June 2025 after obtaining ethical approval. This study included patients who underwent Frey’s procedure for chronic pancreatitis in the Department of Surgical Gastroenterology. Quality of life was evaluated using the EORTC QLQ-C30 Version 3 questionnaire, while pain levels were assessed using the Izbicki pain score and the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS version 26.

A total of 27 cases were enrolled in the study, with a median age of 36 (IQR: 23-46)years. There were 19 (70.37%) females. Non-alcoholic chronic pancreatitis was present in 16 (59.25%) cases and alcoholic in 11 (40.75%). The average postoperative hospital stay was 8.77±2.45 days. Sixteen (59.25%) cases had no complications, and 1 (3.70%) patient experienced a major complication. Postoperative VAS scores decreased from 79.26±24.95 to median of 0 (IQR: 0-20), and the median postoperative Izbicki pain score was 2.75(IQR: 0.25-11.50). Quality of life scores were favourable across all domains, with a Global Health score of 12.89±1.19 out of 14.

There are favourable outcomes in different domains of health improving quality-of-life in patients undergoing Frey’s procedure for chronic pancreatitis with significant reduction in pain.