Etiology, diagnosis, and management of chronic pancreatitis associated primary complications: a narrative review

Chronic pancreatitis is a progressive inflammatory disease, whose hallmark pathological feature is an irreversible fibrosis process. This process further leads to irreversible structural damage, pancreatic functional decline, and a variety of severe complications. Common complications mainly include pancreatic exocrine insufficiency, endocrine insufficiency, metabolic bone disease, pain, pancreatic duct stones, obstruction of common bile duct and duodenum, pancreatic pseudocysts, and vascular complications. This review systematically sorts out and integrates the etiology, diagnostic criteria, and management of various complications. Moreover, active intervention for these complications through secondary prevention and standardized management is crucial for improving patients' clinical prognosis. Ultimately, this review establishes a comprehensive "Etiology-Diagnosis- Management "clinical reference system for the primary complications of chronic pancreatitis, providing gastroenterologists with a quick reference for the standardized diagnosis and management of chronic pancreatitis-related complications.