On 2/27/2008 TexasTeresa wrote:
My brother was told today that he must have the whipple procedure. He has had chronic pancreatitis for many years. They have found lezions and cysts in the head of his pancreas. The doctor told them that they look suspicious. Regardless if they are cancer or not, they told him that he MUST have the surgery within the next month. The little that I have read about the surgery stresses the importance of having the right surgeon and surgery center for the procedure. It reduces the mortality rate to less than 5% compared to 20% with someone that does not have the proper experience. My brother lives in Oklahoma and was told that there was only one surgeon in the whole state that could do the surgery. Where can I go to find a list of surgeons who do the whipple procedure on a regular basis and have the best success rate?
I live in Sherman Texas and had the Whipple procedure done in July of 07. A friend suggested the Cancer Treatment Center of America in Tulsa. They do this often and I was quite comfortable with the facility. My surgeon was Dr. Greiff (pronounced griff). They accept most insurance and the phone number is 918-286-5000. You can also look them up on the internet. I will be glad to answer any questions you or your brother may have, or at least as much as I can. God Bless You and good luck.
Ken