The Impact of Preoperative Biliary Stenting on Postoperative Pancreatic Fistula Rates

Abstract

Introduction: Preoperative biliary stenting (PBS) prior to pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) remains controversial and has been associated with bile contamination, microbiome changes and increased risk of postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF). This study evaluates the impact of PBS on the risk of clinically relevant (CR)-POPF after PD in a national cohort of patients. Methods: Patients with biliary obstruction (total bilirubin >1.2 mg/dl) that underwent elective PD were identified in the American College of Surgeons-NSQIP dataset (2014-2019). A validated modified Fistula Risk Score (FRS) was used to stratify this cohort into two groups (low FRS ≤6, high FRS >6). Within each group, patient factors, PBS use, CR-POPF and postoperative outcomes were analyzed. Multivariate regression model was used to assess factors associated with CR-POPF. Results: Out of 3864 patients that underwent PD, 3109 (80%) received PBS, 1579 (41%) had a high-FRS and 2285 (59%) had a low-FRS. The rate of CR-POPF was 15%, 24.5%, and 8.5% for the entire cohort, high-FRS and low-FRS groups, respectively. The rate of CR-POPF was similar with (15.1%) and without PBS (14.7%) In both low- and high-FRS groups, PBS was not associated with increased risk for CR-POPF (8.3% vs 9.2% and 25% vs 23%). However, in the low-FRS group, PBS was associated with a reduced LOS (OR 0.7, 95% CI=0.51-0.92, p=0.012) and increased infectious complications (OR 1.6, 95% CI=1.19-2.24, p=0.003). Conclusion: In this retrospective study of a national cohort of PD patients, PBS was not associated with an increased risk of CR-POPF in both low- and high-FRS groups.Tabled 1EP02D-062 Table 1. Multivariable Model*VariablesLow FRSHigh FRSOdds RatioCI (95%)P-ValueOdds RatioCI (95%)P-ValueCR-POPFPBS0.9420.652-1.3630.7531.2590.926-1.7120.142Prolonged LOSPBS0.6820.506-0.9190.0120.9160.659-1.2730.601Infectious ComplicationsPBS1.631.186-2.2410.0031.2170.889-1.6650.221*Adjusted for Mortality, CR-POPF, Prolonged (LOS >14 days), Discharge-not-to-home Open table in a new tab *Adjusted for Mortality, CR-POPF, Prolonged (LOS >14 days), Discharge-not-to-home