How important is the pancreas? Can it be removed surgically?
The pancreas is one of the most important organs in the body, but it can be removed by surgery and its functions replaced in various ways. The pancreas supplies the body with insulin, so when it is removed, diabetes mellitus must be considered. This is solved by the patient receiving regular insulin injections. Because the pancreas also plays a very important role in the digestion of food, when it is removed the patient is usually treated with an extract of pancreatic digestive enzymes from animal sources. These are added to the patients food. The drug cimetdine is used to stop the stomach from producing acids, thus preventing the breakdown of pancreatic enzymes by acid.
