Diabetes after pancreatic surgery: novel issues

Abstract

In the developed world, pancreatic surgery is becoming more common, with an increasing number of patients developing diabetes because of either partial or total pancreatectomy, with a significant impact on quality of life and survival. Although these patients are expected to consume increasing health care resources in the near future, many aspects of diabetes after pancreatectomy are still not well defined. The treatment of diabetes in these patients takes advantage of the therapies used in type 1 and 2 diabetes; however, no specific guidelines for its management, both immediately after pancreatic surgery or in the long term, have been developed. In this article, on the basis of both the literature and our clinical experience, we address the open issues and discuss the most appropriate therapeutic options for patients with diabetes after pancreatectomy.