10% of chronic pancreatitis (CP) cases are complicated by splenic vein thrombosis (SVT) which is responsible for upper digestive haemorrhages. To improve our approach to treatment we reviewed 30 cases of SVT associated with CP treated in our centre from 1985 to 1995. 14 patients were treated conservatively. Six of them were refused for surgery due to extension of splenic vein thrombosis into the portal vein. Two patients without extrinsic compression of the vein were treated with anticoagulants. 16 patients were treated by surgery with low morbidity and without mortality. The standard treatment in fourteen cases was splenopancreatectomy. The average follow-up of seven years shows that these patients have preserved their body mass index (BMI). The results suggest that early surgical intervention is beneficial in preventing progression of SVT to the portomesenteric vein.