Inflammatory dieseases of the pancreas occur with increasing incidence in western industrialized countries. This volume deals with all aspects of CHRONIC PANCREATITIS including epidemiology, etiology, morphology and pathophysiology, dia- gnostic imaging as well as conservative and operative treat- ment. Very recent data based on experimental and clinical research projects are presented. The contributions have all been written by a team of internationally well recognized authorities in the various fields involved. Topics of parti- cular interest include feed-back regulation, new aspects of conservative and interventional treatment as well as modern surgical approaches including organ-preserving procedures.