Contact Information

Outpatient Treatment Center

Pancreatic Disease Treatment Center
Wang Ambulatory Care Center
15 Parkman St
Wang 5
Boston, MA  02114

Hours: Monday–Friday, 7:00 am–4:00 pm

New Patients require a referral. Referrals can be placed via EPIC or fax only:

EPIC: MGH GI Pancreatic Disease 
Fax: 617-726-8961

For questions:
Phone:  617-726-5523

Please note, we are unable to provide regular opioid prescriptions in our clinics.

Inpatient Treatment Center 

For hospital transfers, please contact the Mass General Brigham Patient Transfer and Access Center at 1-855-468-6642 (1-855 GO TO MGB). When submitting the transfer, please request “MGH Pancreatitis Service.”

Explore This Center

    About the Program

    The multidisciplinary team at the Pancreatitis Treatment Center at Massachusetts General Hospital offers comprehensive care to patients with pancreatitis, including necrotizing pancreatitis, pancreatic pseudocysts, and chronic pancreatitis. Our expert team works together to provide cutting-edge techniques and procedures for treating various forms of pancreatitis, ensuring the best possible outcomes for all patients.

    The Pancreatitis Treatment Center includes:  

    • Outpatient Pancreatitis Center: Our multidisciplinary outpatient treatment center focuses on the management of pancreatitis, including complicated and chronic pancreatitis. Every patient referred for care will undergo evaluation by a multidisciplinary team of specialists and receive specialized follow-up care from relevant subspecialists. 
    • Inpatient Pancreatitis Center: Our inpatient pancreatitis treatment center focuses on the management of acute and complicated pancreatitis. Our multidisciplinary team utilizes all available resources to tailor treatment to individual patient needs.  
    • Pancreatitis Conference: We host a scheduled multidisciplinary conference where our team collaboratively discusses patient cases and reaches consensus recommendations. 
    • Problem-specific Outpatient Clinics: These clinics focus on managing specific conditions including, but not limited to, gastroenterology, surgery, and pain management.  

    What Is Pancreatitis?

    The pancreas is a gland in the middle of the abdomen, behind the stomach, and near the beginning of the small intestine that: 

    • Produces enzymes to help break down food. 
    • Makes insulin and glucagon, which are the hormones that control the body’s blood sugar level. 

    Pancreatitis happens when the pancreas is inflamed, which can occur as the result of gallstones, alcohol use, certain medications, and autoimmune disease. Pancreatitis is most often diagnosed through factors such as abdominal pain, elevated pancreatic enzyme levels, and/or imaging. It can be sudden (acute) or persistent (chronic). It is important to identify the cause of the pancreatitis in order to prevent recurrence. 

    We treat patients with the full range of pancreatic diseases, including:  

    • Acute and recurrent acute pancreatitis 
    • Idiopathic pancreatitis 
    • Hereditary pancreatitis 
    • Autoimmune pancreatitis 
    • Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency 
    • Necrotizing pancreatitis 
    • Chronic pancreatitis 
    • Pancreatic stones 
    • Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction 
    • Chronic pseudocysts 
    • Pancreas divisum 

    Our Multidisciplinary Team

    Pancreatitis is a challenging disease for both patients and families. It is our mission to provide comprehensive, multidisciplinary care for patients with all forms of pancreatitis and to deliver that care in a patient-centered way.  

    To do so, we have created a true multidisciplinary team. With this team, we are able to offer patients a treatment combination that is unique to them and their disease. 

    The team includes specialists from: 

    Medical pancreatology
    Our medical pancreatologists are the quarterbacks of our team with extensive experience in diagnosing and managing conditions such as chronic pancreatitis, as well as addressing endocrine and exocrine insufficiency. They also excel in determining the underlying causes of pancreatitis. 
    Nutrition
    Our registered dietitians are experts in the intersection of pancreatitis and nutrition. They work in both outpatient and inpatient settings to formulate unique and goal-oriented plans.  
    Pain management
    Patients experiencing chronic and recurrent pancreatitis often have difficulty effectively managing pain. The MGH Pain Management Center is an opiate-free center that treats pain with multimodal and multidisciplinary approaches. Our team of specialists uses combinations of medications, supplements, and procedures to improve every patient’s quality of life.  
    Endocrinology
    The pancreas produces enzymes for food digestion and hormones to control blood sugar. Both of these functions decrease when the pancreas has been damaged, which can lead to malnutrition, pain, and diabetes. Our expert team of endocrinologists help to manage pancreatitis-caused diabetes and minimize side effects. 
    Infectious disease
    Our infectious disease providers excel in diagnosing and managing infectious disorders. There are unique infectious complications that can occur in the pancreas. Our specialists are experts in pancreatitis and are well-equipped to handle these cases effectively. Their expertise is critical in ensuring the best possible outcomes for our patients.
    Interventional gastroenterology
    Our interventional gastroenterology team has extensive experience with using advanced endoscopic procedures to manage complicated pancreatic disease, including endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), transgastric endoscopic necrosectomy, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), and advanced gallbladder drainage procedures. 
    Interventional radiology
    Drainage, particularly in cases involving infection, is key when treating complicated pancreatitis. Our interventional radiologists have vast experience in performing drainage procedures for pancreatitis, as well as other complex procedures such as vascular embolization and gallbladder procedures.  
    Surgery
    Our physicians are world-leading experts in performing minimally invasive necrosectomy procedures to treat pancreatitis, which involves removing dead or infected tissue from the pancreas. We also perform a number of surgical procedures to address chronic pancreatitis including cystgastrostomy/cystjejunostomy, Puestow procedure (longitudinal pancreatico-jejunostomy), Whipple procedure (pancreaticoduodenectomy), and total pancreatectomy with islet auto transplantation. 

    Procedures We Perform

    Below is a list of our most common procedures. Our physicians collaborate with each patient to determine which procedure is best for them.

    Transgastric Endoscopic Necrosectomy

    Transgastric endoscopic necrosectomy is a minimally invasive surgical technique used to perform a necrosectomy, which is the removal of dead or infected tissue from the pancreas. During this procedure, a flexible tube with a camera is placed into the stomach, and a tube called a stent is used to take out the damaged tissue. 

    For some patients, the transgastric endoscopic necrosectomy procedure can remove the tissue without a cut or a drain. Without a cut, the patient experiences: 

    • Less pain after surgery. 
    • Less damage to the remaining healthy pancreatic tissue. 
    • Shorter hospital length of stay
    • Lower risk of developing diabetes or a hernia after surgery. 
    Percutaneous Drainage

    A percutaneous drainage procedure is a minimally invasive method used to drain extra fluid or pseudocysts that can develop as a result of pancreatitis. These fluid collections may have infected or inflammatory fluids, and they can cause pain and other complications if not treated. During this procedure, a CT scan or ultrasound guides the placement of the drain to the area with excess fluid. 

    Percutaneous drainage can be done alongside other procedures, like VARD, or on its own. It effectively relieves symptoms related to pancreatitis, lowers the risk of infection, and helps the pancreas heal more quickly. 

    Video-assisted Retroperitoneal Debridement (VARD)

    VARD is a minimally invasive surgical technique used to perform a necrosectomy, which is the removal of dead or infected tissue from the pancreas. During this procedure, a small cut is made in the patient’s back. Through this incision, a small drain is inserted with the guidance of a computed tomography (CT) scan as well as a laparoscopic camera. These tools enable the surgeon to have a clearer view and better access to the area with the dead tissue for more precise removal. 

    By minimizing the size of the cut, the patient experiences: 

    • Less pain after surgery. 
    • Less damage to the remaining healthy pancreatic tissue. 
    • Shorter length of stay in intensive care after surgery. 
    • Lower risk of developing diabetes or a hernia after surgery. 

    Mass General performed the first VARD procedure in New England and continues to have the most experience in the region with this technique. 

    Sinus Tract Endoscopy (STE)

    STE, like VARD, is a minimally invasive surgical technique used to perform a necrosectomy, which is the removal of dead or infected tissue from the pancreas. It involves making a small incision in the body. Using a drain, a CT scan, and a laparoscopic camera, the surgeon can see and access the affected area more precisely. This helps with the accurate removal of the dead tissue. 

    STE allows better access to affected areas that can’t be reached through the VARD technique. 

    By minimizing the size of the cut, the patient experiences: 

    • Less pain after surgery. 
    • Less damage to the remaining healthy pancreatic tissue. 
    • Shorter length of stay in intensive care after surgery. 
    • Lower risk of developing diabetes or a hernia after surgery. 

    Mass General has the most experience in performing STE procedures compared to any other hospital in the country. 

    Laparoscopic Surgery

    Laparoscopic surgery may be suggested for patients with pancreatitis caused by gallstones. In this procedure, the surgeon makes a small incision, like a keyhole, to treat a pancreatic pseudocyst (a non-cancerous buildup of pancreatic fluid) and to remove the gallbladder to prevent the pancreatitis from coming back. 

    Open Surgery

    For some patients, open surgery may be recommended. During open surgery, the surgeon will make a larger cut in the abdomen to remove dead or infected pancreatic tissue. Open surgery may also be recommended to treat complications of pancreatitis, such as disconnected pancreatic duct syndrome. 

    The pancreatitis team at Mass General has the most experience in the United States when it comes to publishing research about open necrosectomy and ensuring the best possible outcomes for patients undergoing open surgery. 

    Meet Our Team

    Gastroenterology

    Infectious Diseases

    Anesthesia

    • David Hao, MD

      • Assistant Professor of Anaesthesia
      • Director, MGH Cancer Pain Program

    Radiology

    Surgery

    Advanced Providers

    Tessa Stabile FNP-C 
    Outpatient APP Lead, Complicated Pancreatitis Treatment Center 

    Emily Lemon, ACNP 
    Inpatient APP Lead, Complicated Pancreatitis Treatment Center 

    Katherine Casey Caughel, CNP
    Inpatient APP, Complicated Pancreatitis Treatment Center

    Jean Donovan, CNP 
    Inpatient APP, Complicated Pancreatitis Treatment Center 

    Sandra Roque, CNP 
    Inpatient APP, Complicated Pancreatitis Treatment Center 

    Christopher Runey, CNP 
    Inpatient APP, Complicated Pancreatitis Treatment Center 

    Nutrition

    Rebecca Materazzo, RDN-AP, LDN, CNSC
    Registered Dietitian 

    Kevin Walton MS, RDN, LDN, CNSC
    Registered Dietitian 

    Request an Appointment

    New patients require a referral. Referrals can be placed via EPIC or fax only:  

    EPIC: MGH GI Pancreatic Disease 

    Fax: 617-726-8961

    For questions:  

    Phone:  617-726-5523 

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