Pancreatic fistulae following pancreatic resection. Analysis of causes and prevention methods

Abstract

The causes of pancreatic fistula were analyzed in 503 patients aged from 22 to 81who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy for pancreatic and periampullary tumors. The said patients were operated on during the period from 2008 to 2017. The aim of this study is to improve the outcomes of pancreatic resection based on a retrospective analysis of the risk factors of postoperative pancreatic fistulae and the development of a range of measures to prevent the above complication. The influence of factors on the risk of pancreatic fistula was investigated by Pearson method (χ2). The factors contributing to the occurrence of pancreatic fistulae included type of resection (Whipple pancreaticoduodenectomy, pylorus preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy; χ2=8.616,1, p=0.0033, p<0.01), kind of pathology (cancer of the pancreatic head, χ2=7.658,1, p=0.0057, p<0.01), type of pancreaticojejunostomy (invaginative pancreatic duct-jejunostomy; χ2=12.75,1, p<0.001), technique for drainage of the major pancreatic duct (pancreaticojejunostomy on external drainage, χ2=44.01,1, p<0.0001), resection of venous vessels following distal pancreatic resection (χ2=8.350,1, p=0.0039, p<0.01), glycemic level in the preoperative period (P=0.0344,U=15061), the presence of concomitant diseases in patients (χ2=15.62,1, p=0.0001, p<0.001). Preoperative glycemic level and the presence of concomitant diseases in patients are factors that can be influenced to prevent the onset of pancreatic fistula in the postoperative period in patients who are scheduled for pancreatic resection. Prevention of this complication involves the correction of glycemic level and treatment of concomitant pathology in patients in the preoperative period.