Joanna Metzner-Sadurski, Medical Doctor at Self Regional Healthcare and Executive Director of Oncology101.org, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“Seems like we see more patients with pancreatic cancer. When we talk about the ‘Whipple surgery,’ we often think of it as the operation that can cure pancreatic cancer. But what does the Whipple procedure really mean?
The Whipple procedure—also called pancreaticoduodenectomy—is one of the most complex operations in modern surgery. It involves removing the head of the pancreas, part of the small intestine, the bile duct, the gallbladder, and sometimes part of the stomach, followed by a delicate reconstruction of the digestive system.
This is not a routine operation.
It typically lasts 8 hours, and in difficult cases can extend to 10–12 hours or more. It requires extraordinary surgical skill, anesthesia expertise, and multidisciplinary oncology care.
Behind every Whipple procedure is more than a technical operation—it is a century-long story of surgical innovation, risk, courage, and hope.
At Oncology101.org, we bring the history and meaning of the Whipple procedure directly to you—so patients and families can understand not just what the surgery is, but why it exists, how it evolved, and what it truly represents in the fight against pancreatic cancer.”
More posts featuring Joanna Metzner-Sadurski on OncoDaily.