In the last 20 years, we have observed 264 instances of CCP. Of these, 136 (50.5 per cent) had 171 surgical procedures. Pancreatic calcifications were present in 83.1 per cent of the patients. One hundred and twenty-one were alcoholics (88.9 per cent) and 15 (11.0 per cent) abstained from alcohol. The surgical indications involved clinical uncontrollable pain and organic complications of the disease. The operations performed consisted of 62 wide side to side pancreaticojejunostomies, with loop excluded in Roux-en-Y, 40 pancreatectomies and 69 other operations. The choice of operation depended upon the analysis of each patient. The postoperative period of observation varied from two to 198 months, the average being 56.9 +/- 49.1 months. Thirty-five reoperations were performed for persistence or relapse of pain or the appearance of complications. Immediate post-operative complications and deaths occurred in 44 (25.7 per cent) and in six patients (3.5 per cent), respectively, considering the 71 operations performed. A satisfactory pain relief was evidenced in 61.0 per cent of the patients and total mortality reached 42.6 per cent. When the patients who underwent pancreaticojejunostomy, pancreatectomy and other operations were compared, no significant statistical difference was noticed with regard to the incidence of immediate post-operative complications and deaths, pain relief, appearance of diabetes or steatorrhea and mortality. There was also no significant difference as to the mortality among the alcoholic CCP, calcified or not, and idiopathic CCP (all calcified). On the other hand, the difference was statistically significant concerning the reoperation incidence in the group of patients who underwent the three types of operations mentioned. The longest survival time after pancreaticojejunostomy, pancreatectomy and other operations was 192, 137 and 198 months, respectively. The mean age at the time of death was 44.5 +/- 10.0 years, significantly inferior to the life expectation of the Brazilian male, which is 62 years. The mortality was higher in the first five postoperative years, corresponding to 77.6 per cent of the over-all mortality. There was no significant difference of survival time among the groups of patients undergoing the different types of operations. CCP is an extremely serious disease, progressive in spite of adequate treatment, sensibly diminishing the expectation and quality of lives of those with the condition, often interfering with the activity and productivity of the patient.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)