# Pancreaticoduodenectomy (WOTD)



## Damaged Goods

This is a complex operation, commonly known as the Whipple Procedure, to remove the head of the pancreas, the first part of the small intestine (duodenum), the gallbladder and the bile duct, and, occasionally, part of the stomach.  The Whipple procedure is used to treat tumors and other disorders of the pancreas, intestine and bile duct.  The five-year survival rate is 20%.

Usage:
My wife underwent the Whipple Procedure and was miserable for four months but it gave her 16 additional years of life before she succumbed to an unrelated impairment.


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## Kathleen’s Place

I am very sorry for your loss, but so happy you had the additional 16 years


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## Aunt Marg

Very sorry you lost your wife, Damaged, but so very happy the pancreaticoduodenectomy bought your wife an additional 16 years of life with you.


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## RadishRose

My sympathies, Damaged.


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## Ruth n Jersey

So very sorry for your loss.


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## Damaged Goods

Hey guys,
Thanx for the kind responses.
DG


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## Phoenix

Damaged Goods said:


> This is a complex operation, commonly known as the Whipple Procedure, to remove the head of the pancreas, the first part of the small intestine (duodenum), the gallbladder and the bile duct, and, occasionally, part of the stomach.  The Whipple procedure is used to treat tumors and other disorders of the pancreas, intestine and bile duct.  The five-year survival rate is 20%.
> 
> Usage:
> My wife underwent the Whipple Procedure and was miserable for four months but it gave her 16 additional years of life before she succumbed to an unrelated impairment.


I'm sorry for your loss.  I had a boy friend who passed of pancreatic cancer 32 years ago.


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## Jules

@Damaged Goods  Your wife was a very rare & lucky recipient of the Whipple Surgery.


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## Damaged Goods

Jules said:


> @Damaged Goods  Your wife was a very rare & lucky recipient of the Whipple Surgery.


Dr. Schaefer's team at Johns Hopkins.  Whipples are the only operation they did.  Their mortality and morbidity rates for Whipples were among the lowest globally.

With the help of Western medicine, my wife beat every damn physical problem that nature threw her way; she couldn't beat frontotemporal dementia.


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## Jules

For a long time I followed a senior blogger who had the 16 hours of Whipple Surgery.  She had less than three years, much suffering and chose the end  through MAD.  My stepfather had treatments, no Whipple.  He didn’t last long.


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## Damaged Goods

Jules said:


> For a long time I followed a senior blogger who had the 16 hours of Whipple Surgery.  She had less than three years, much suffering and chose the end  through MAD.  My stepfather had treatments, no Whipple.  He didn’t last long.


I should point-out though, Jules, that my wife had a PRE-cancerous lesion in the duodenum, not pancreatic cancer.  They still decided to do the Whipple, taking the head of the pancreas, 1/2 of the stomach, common bile duct, and entire duodenum.

Gall bladder had been removed 20 years earlier.  In fact it was one of the first to be removed by laparoscope.  Only one night in the hospital.

Condolences on the loss of your stepdad.


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## Jules

Thanks, Damaged goods.  It was over 35 years ago.


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