The pancreas plays an important role in the digestion of food and in regulation of blood sugar. Loss of pancreatic tissue after surgical removal increases the risks for the development of diabetes mellitus and mal-absorption of food.

Preservation of pancreatic tissue is an important goal during surgery for pancreatic and biliary diseases to reduce the risks of loss of pancreatic tissue. During the Whipple operation, organs that play a vital role in digestive function are often removed. The organs removed include part of the pancreas and bile duct, and all of the duodenum. The duodenum appears to play an important role in regulating the motility of the stomach and the upper gastrointestinal tract. It is thought that partial or complete loss of the duodenum is responsible for the delay in emptying of the stomach that often occurs after the Whipple operation.

For malignant tumors affecting the duodenum, head of pancreas, and the distal (bottom end) of the bile duct, the Whipple operation is the standard of care and the procedure of choice. The Whipple operation is also frequently performed for benign (non-cancerous) disorders that affect the bottom end of the bile duct, duodenum, or head of pancreas. While in some patients the extent or nature of disease may require a Whipple operation, alternate procedures that preserve some of the organs removed during the standard whipple operation may be an option in other patients.