Which statement is true about the Whipple procedure?

Which statement is true about the Whipple procedure?

• A. It is another term for pancreaticoduodenectomy
• B. It removes the entire pancreas
• C. It is primarily used for chronic pancreatitis
• D. It preserves the duodenum

Answer: (A)

The key idea here is what the Whipple procedure actually is. It is another term for a pancreaticoduodenectomy, a major operation that removes the head of the pancreas along with the duodenum, part of the stomach, the distal bile duct, and the gallbladder, followed by reconstructing the pancreatic, biliary, and gastrointestinal connections. This procedure is most commonly performed to treat cancers or periampullary tumors in the head of the pancreas. It does not remove the entire pancreas—that would be a total pancreatectomy. It is not primarily used for chronic pancreatitis, though it may be considered in selected cases. The duodenum is removed in the standard procedure, so preserving the duodenum is not correct (even the pylorus-preserving variant still involves removing the duodenum).

The key idea here is what the Whipple procedure actually is. It is another term for a pancreaticoduodenectomy, a major operation that removes the head of the pancreas along with the duodenum, part of the stomach, the distal bile duct, and the gallbladder, followed by reconstructing the pancreatic, biliary, and gastrointestinal connections. This procedure is most commonly performed to treat cancers or periampullary tumors in the head of the pancreas. It does not remove the entire pancreas—that would be a total pancreatectomy. It is not primarily used for chronic pancreatitis, though it may be considered in selected cases. The duodenum is removed in the standard procedure, so preserving the duodenum is not correct (even the pylorus-preserving variant still involves removing the duodenum).