[Carbohydrate metabolism disturbances after pancreatoduodenal resection in patients with cancer of the head of pancreas].

Carbohydrate metabolism was explored in 52 patients with cancer of the head of pancreas before and after pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenal resection. Glycemia, insulin dosage, glucosuria and acetonuria were assessed retrospectively to reveal correlation with postoperative carbohydrate metabolism disturbances. Preoperatively 46.2% of patients had no metabolic problems, whereas postoperatively only 38.5% of patients showed normal sugar metabolism. 9 (17.3%) patients developed disturbed glucose tolerance, 5 (9.6%) patients developed mild diabetes mellitus and 18 (34.6%) patients had diabetes of medium severity. Combination of first diagnosed diabetes mellitus, progressive weight loss and abdominal pain proved to be the negative prognostic set of symptoms and should urge on pancreatic tumor search. Glucose level in early postoperative period is a valuable prognostic criteria for the development of carbohydrate metabolism disturbances in long-term postoperative period.