The Whipple procedure (pancreaticoduodenectomy) is a difficult and complicated surgery. People whose pancreatic cancer is considered resectable may undergo this surgery. A surgeon removes the head of the pancreas and sometimes the body of the pancreas, parts of the stomach and small intestine, some lymph nodes, the gallbladder, and the common bile duct. The remaining organs are reconnected in a new way to allow digestion. Surgeons and hospitals that do the most operations have the best results.