Development Of Pancreatic Fistula Research Articles

Linking factors to incisional hernia following pancreatic surgery: a 14-year retrospective analysis.

Incisional hernias (IH) are a significant postoperative complication with profound implications for patient morbidity and healthcare costs. The relationship between IH and perioperative factors in pancreatic surgery,with particular attention to preoperative biliary stents and pancreatic fistulasrequires further exploration. This retrospective observational study examined adult patients who underwent open pancreatic surgeries via midline incision at a high-volume tertiary hepatopancreatobiliary center from January 2008 to December 2021. The study focused on IH incidence and associated risk factors, with particular attention to preoperative biliary stents and pancreatic fistulas. In a cohort of 620 individuals undergoing pancreatic surgery, 351 had open surgery with at least one-year follow-up. Within a median follow-up of 794days (IQR 1694-537), the overall incidence of IH was 17.38%. The highest frequency of IH was observed among patients who had a Pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). Significant predictors for the development of IH within the entire study population in a multivariable analysis included perioperative biliary stenting (OR 2.05; 95% CI 1.06-3.96; p = 0.03), increased age at diagnosis (OR 2.05; 95% CI 1.06-3.96; p = 0.01), and BMI (OR 1.08; 95% CI 1.01-1.15; p = 0.01). In the subset of patients who underwent Pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD), although the presence of biliary stents was associated with a heightened occurrence of SSIs, it did not demonstrate a direct correlation with an increased incidence of incisional hernias (IH). The development of pancreatic fistulas did not show a significant correlation with IH in either the Distal Pancreatectomy with Splenectomy (DPS) or the PD patient groups. The study underscores a notable association between biliary stent placement and increased IH risk after PD, mediated by elevated SSI incidence. Pancreatic fistulas were not directly correlated with IH in the studied cohorts. Further research is necessary to validate these findings and guide clinical practice.

Revealing the role of early peripancreatic bacterial contamination and Enterococcus faecalis in pancreatic fistula development after pancreaticoduodenectomy: Implications for useful antibiotic prophylaxis–An observational cohort study

BackgroundPeripancreatic bacterial contamination (PBC) is a critical factor contributing to the development of clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula (CR-POPF) following pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). Controlling pathogenic bacteria is essential in preventing CR-POPF; however, the precise relationship between specific bacteria and CR-POPF remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between PBC and CR-POPF after PD, with a focus on identifying potentially causative bacteria. MethodsThis prospective observational study enrolled 370 patients who underwent PD. Microbial cultures were routinely collected from peripancreatic drain fluid on postoperative days (PODs) 1, 3, and 6. Predictive factors for CR-POPF and the bacteria involved in PBC were investigated. ResultsCR-POPF occurred in 86 (23.2%) patients. In multivariate analysis, PBC on POD1 (Odds ratio [OR] = 3.59; P = 0.005) was one of the main independent predictive factors for CR-POPF, while prophylactic use of antibiotics other than piperacillin/tazobactam independently influenced PBC on POD1 (OR = 2.95; P = 0.010). Notably, Enterococcus spp., particularly Enterococcus faecalis, were significantly isolated from PBC in patients with CR-POPF compared to those without CR-POPF on PODs 1 and 3 (P < 0.001), and they displayed high resistance to all cephalosporins. ConclusionsEarly PBC plays a pivotal role in the development of CR-POPF following PD. Prophylactic antibiotic administration, specifically targeting Enterococcus faecalis, may effectively mitigate early PBC and subsequently reduce the risk of CR-POPF. This research sheds light on the importance of bacterial control strategies in preventing CR-POPF after PD.

The role of non-invasive preoperative imaging techniques in predicting the risk of pancreatic fistula development in pancreaticoduodenal tumours

Background. In pancreaticoduodenal tumours, pancreaticoduodenectomy (PDE) is a radical surgical intervention. The most important stage of the operation is the pancreaticojejunoanastomosis (PEA), the admissibility of which depends on many factors: the degree of fibrous changes in the pancreatic parenchyma, the degree of mechanical jaundice, and the operating surgeon’s technique. Identification of factors that reflect changes in the structure of the pancreatic parenchyma and its ductal system, which are important predictors in predicting the risk of developing pancreatic fistula (PF) after PDE, is of great scientific importance. Purpose. Evaluation of changes in the structure of the pancreatic parenchyma and its ductal system using non-invasive preoperative imaging methods in predicting the risk of pancreatic fistula development during pancreaticoduodenectomy. Materials and Methods. This study included 302 patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy. Mechanical jaundice was detected in 246 (81.5%) patients, 56 (18.5%) patients had no jaundice, the age of patients ranged from 31 to 77 years, 178 (58.9%) were men and 124 (41.1%) were women. Ultrasound elastography and multidetector computed tomography were used for preoperative non-invasive visualisation of the degree of changes in the pancreatic parenchyma and its ductal system. The following parameters of visualisation of the pancreatic parenchyma with an assessment of the anatomical features of the isthmus and the duct of Wirsung were identified: diameter and cross-sectional area of the duct of Wirsung (at the level of the isthmus), width and thickness of the pancreas (at the level of the isthmus), cross-sectional area of the pancreatic isthmus (without the area of the duct of Wirsung), native density, and stiffness of the pancreatic parenchyma. Results and discussion. The ROC analysis of the parameters for assessing the state of the parenchyma of the pancreas and the duct of Wirsung obtained from computed tomography made it possible to determine the validity of these indicators in predicting the risk of developing PF. According to the results of the ROC analysis, the following indicators were identified as markers of moderate risk of developing PF: the diameter of the duct of Wirsung is less than 4 mm, the cross-sectional area of the duct of Wirsung is less than 0.23 cm2 , the thickness of the isthmus of the pancreas is greater than 15 mm, the width of the isthmus of the pancreas is greater than 19 mm, the cross-sectional area of the isthmus of the pancreas (without the area of the duct of Wirsung) is greater than 3 cm2 , and the native density is greater than 24 HU. To assess the high risk of developing PF, the use of ROC analysis allowed us to establish the high quality of diagnostic models for such computed tomography parameters as the diameter of the duct of Wirsung – the area under the ROC curve is 0.965, the cross-sectional area of the duct of Wirsung – AUC is 0.894, the cross-sectional area of the isthmus of the pancreas (without the area of the duct of Wirsung) – AUC is 0.873, the width of the isthmus of the pancreas – the area under the ROC curve is 0.859, the native density – AUC is 0.844. Determination of the parameter of stiffness of the pancreatic parenchyma by shear wave elastography in predicting high and moderate risk of developing PF also corresponded to the high quality of the diagnostic model. Conclusions. The use of non-invasive imaging methods allows changes in the structure of the pancreatic parenchyma, anatomical features of the pancreatic isthmus and the duct of Wirsung to be detected at the preoperative stage, the risk of developing a pancreatic fistula to be predicted and the number of complications during pancreaticoduodenectomy to be reduced.

A differentiated approach to the selection of pancreaticojejunostomy during pancreatoduodenectomy

Background. Pancreatoduodenectomy is a radical surgical intervention in case of neoplasms of the pancreatoduodenal zone, which is accompanied by frequent postoperative complications. The critical point of the reconstructive stage of pancreatoduodenectomy is pancreaticojejunostomy (PES), which dictates the importance of improving the techniques of its repair and drainage, as well as the development of a differentiated approach to the choice of PES. The aim of the study: to evaluate the effectiveness of a differentiated approach to the choice of PES technique when performing pancreatoduodenectomy. Materials and methods. The study included 302 patients who underwent pancreatoduodenectomy for pancreatic neoplasms. The age of patients varied from 31 to 77 years, there were 178 (58.9 %) men, and 124 (41.1 %) women. In the comparison group (154 patients), a standard diagnostic and treatment algorithm was used with the choice of PES technique taking into account the intraoperative evaluation of the degree of the pancreatic parenchyma density and the assessment of the ductal system (surgeon’s experience and intuition). In the main group (148 patients), an improved diagnostic and treatment algorithm was used, which included non-invasive preoperative methods of visualization of changes in the pancreatic parenchyma, anatomical features of its isthmus and ductal system, as well as the use of developed methods for repair and drainage of the PES. Results. In the main group, the applied differentiated approach to the selection of PES consisted in the fact that at the preoperative stage, the degree of risk of developing pancreatic fistula (PF) was predicted: in 66 (44.6 %) patients, a low risk was detected, in 42 (28.4 %) — a moderate risk, 40 (27.0 %) people had a high risk. Identification of patients with a high risk of developing PF made it possible to carry out the necessary medical measures not only in the operating room, but also in the pre-operative stage, which affected a decrease in the frequency of severe forms of PF. Specifically, in the compari­son group, type B was noted 2.5 times (χ2 = 3.94; p = 0.047) and type C — 6.4 times (p = 0.034 according to Fisher’s exact test) more often than in the main group. This became the basis for the development of PES techniques with plastic covering of the anastomotic zone and improvement of PES drainage techniques with simultaneous drainage of the biliodigestive anastomosis. The developed differentiated approach to the choice of PES method based on the preoperative assessment of the risk of PF made it possible to reduce the frequency of its development, especially severe forms (types B and C) from 16.2 % of cases in the comparison group to 5.4 % in main group (χ2 = 8.01; p = 0.005). Mortality due to pancreatic fistula in the main group was 0.7 %, in the comparison group — 4.8 % (p = 0.034, Fisher’s exact test). Conclusions. Carrying out a preoperative non-invasive assessment of the degree of changes in the pancreatic parenchyma and the state of the duct of Wirsung by means of fibroelastography and computer tomography made it possible to develop a differentiated approach to the choice of PES technique, taking into account the prediction of the risk of PF in the postoperative period (sensitivity — 90.5 %, specificity — 81, 8 %, diagnostic accuracy — 86.1 %). The use of the developed methods with a falciform ligament wrap and cholangiodrainage to drain PES in soft pancreas made it possible to reduce in half the frequency of PF development (p &lt; 0.05), which led to a decrease in mortality by almost 7 times (p &lt; 0.05).

Magnetic resonance imaging relevance in diagnosis and prognosis of early postoperative period following pancreatic cancer surgical treatment

Purpose of the study. Improvement of the prognostic outcomes for the pancreatic fistula development in surgical treatment for pancreatic cancer by implementation of new diagnostic algorithms for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) assessment of supposed pancreatic stump.Materials and methods. We performed a retrospective analysis of MRI results of 1136 patients from the medical data base of National Medical Research Centre for Oncology for 2009–2020. An original scanning technique, trans- and cross-pancreatic imaging and MR spectroscopy of the pancreas in patients with pancreatic cancer, was developed and applied. Preoperative examinations were compared retrospectively: a standard MRI protocol without anatomical orientation of the series; MRI protocol using the developed technology.Results. 717 patients were diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer. Lymph nodes were affected in 302 patients among 419 patients with radical surgeries. All cases were confirmed morphologically. In the group of 419 patients with pancreatic resections, based on the analysis of morphological and clinical data and preoperative MRI data, we developed an original preoperative scale for assessing the risk of pancreatic fistula development and compared its accuracy with other intraoperative scales, FRS and modified FRS. Lactate and lipid complex were selected from a wide range of metabolites. The surgical protocols and results of histological examination of the surgical material were used to prove the accuracy of the study. The overall accuracy of the technique in predicting fistula development was 97.5 %. New visual predictors («domino» and «white on white» symptoms) based on MRI data were used to improve the scale accuracy.Conclusion. The developed method of using a modified scale for risk assessment of pancreatic fistula development allows predicting the onset of early postoperative complications already at the preoperative stage. When comparing the calculated risks of pancreatic fistula according to the developed scale with the results by the known scales (FRS and modified FRS), statistical analysis showed a significant difference for the better when compared with FRS (p = 0.0477), and a tendency when compared with modified FRS (p = 0.0544).

Vascular supply of postresection pancreatic remnant after pancreaticoduodenectomy: A cadaveric study.

The vascular supply to the neck and body of the pancreas is highly variable. The dorsal pancreatic artery is the dominant artery feeding this area. The aim of this study was to describe the vascular supply of postresection pancreatic remnants after pancreaticoduodenectomy. Patients with hazardous anatomical arrangement may be at a higher risk of postresection remnant ischemia and postoperative pancreatic fistula development. The modified Whipple procedure was performed on 20 cadaveric donors. The macroscopic anatomical supply of the postresection pancreatic remnant of each donor was evaluated. The arterial supply of the postresection remnant was highly variable. In 30% of cases (6/20), the dorsal pancreatic artery was cut during the pancreatoduodenectomy or it was missing. In these cases, the area of the pancreaticojejunostomy construction was fed only through anastomoses between the transverse pancreatic artery and the pancreatic branches of the splenic artery. In 30% of cases, the arterial supply of the postresection pancreatic remnant was dependent on inconstant intraparenchymal arterial anastomoses. These patients may be at a higher risk of postoperative pancreatic fistula development.

Metabolic and surgical factors affecting postoperative quality of life in patients with total pancreatectomy with or without splenectomy: Single center results.

Pancreatic resection may be required in the treatment of patients with pathologies of the pancreas. Total pancreatectomy is a major surgical procedure with serious risk of mortality and morbidity, and patient selection is important for prognosis. The endocrine and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency that develops in patients after total pancreatectomy can lead to a serious decrease in the quality of life of the patients due to pain, diarrhea, vomiting etc. Our aim was to evaluate the effect of total pancreatectomy with spleen preservation as well as splenectomy on the quality of life of the patients. In our study, we retrospectively analyzed the data of patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, intrapapillary mucinous neoplasia, pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, and chronic pancreatitis undergoing from partial to total pancreatic resections in our clinic between 12/2017 and 12/2022. Quality of life was compared using the EORTC QLQ-C30 scale. A total of 47 total pancreatectomy patients, 30 (63.8%) males and 17 (36.2%) females, were included in the study. Mean age of the patients was 61.38 (39-83) years. Five (35.7%) patients underwent perioperative total pancreatectomy because of high risk of pancreatic fistula development due to hard parenchyma and narrow pancreatic duct. Patients had a perioperative blood loss of 500 mL or more, and there was a statistically significant increase in perioperative blood loss compared to patients without vascular resection (p <0.001). Forty (85.1%) patients used enzyme preparations to replace pancreatic enzymes. After total pancreatectomy, quality of life of the patients is reduced both by surgical factors and by metabolic factors due to endocrine and exocrine insufficiency in the postoperative period.

Comparison of two anastomosis techniques in terms of postoperative pancreatic fistula development: A retrospective cohort study

Comparison of two anastomosis techniques in terms of postoperative pancreatic fistula development: A retrospective cohort study

Effects of early enteral nutrition on pancreatic fistula and long-term prognosis after distal pancreatectomy or enucleation of pancreatic tumours in a major academic university hospital in China: protocol for a single-centre randomised controlled trial

IntroductionPostoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) remains one of the main complications following pancreatic resection. Despite pancreatic fistula having a low postoperative mortality rate, the readmission and intervention rates in patients with...

Extending Quality Improvement for Pancreatoduodenectomy Within the High-Volume Setting: The Experience Factor.

To analyze the association of a surgeon's experience with postoperative outcomes of pancreatoduodenectomies (PDs) when stratified by Fistula Risk Score (FRS). Centralization is now well-established for pancreatic surgery. Nevertheless, the benefits of individual surgeon's experience in high-volume settings remain undefined. Pancreatoduodenectomies performed by 82 surgeons across 18 international specialty institutions (median: 140 PD/year) were analyzed. Surgeon cumulative PD volume was linked with postoperative outcomes through multivariable models, adjusted for patient/operative characteristics and the FRS. Then, surgeon experience was also stratified by the 10, previously defined, most clinically impactful scenarios for clinically relevant pancreatic fistula (CR-POPF) development. Of 8189 PDs, 18.7% suffered severe complications (Accordion≥3), 4.8% were reoperated upon and 2.2% expired. Although the most experienced surgeons (top-quartile; >525 career PDs) more often operated on riskier cases, their experience was significantly associated with declines in CR-POPF ( P <0.001), severe complications ( P =0.008), reoperations ( P <0.001), and length of stay (LOS) ( P <0.001)-accentuated even more in the most impactful FRS scenarios (2830 patients). Risk-adjusted models indicate male sex, increasing age, ASA class, and FRS, but not surgeon experience, as being associated with severe complications, failure-to-rescue, and mortality. Instead, upper-echelon experience demonstrates significant reductions in CR-POPF (OR 0.66), reoperations (OR 0.64), and LOS (OR 0.65) in moderate-to-high fistula risk circumstances (FRS≥3, 68% of cases). At specialty institutions, major morbidity, mortality, and failure-to-rescue are primarily associated with baseline patient characteristics, while cumulative surgical experience impacts pancreatic fistula occurrence and its attendant effects for most higher-risk pancreatoduodenectomies. These data also suggest an extended proficiency curve exists for this operation.

Pancreatic steatosis and metabolic pancreatic disease: a new entity?

Overweight and obesity are some of the most important health challenges. Many diseases are related to these metabolic disorders, and, among them, the pancreatic fat accumulation, also called "pancreatic steatosis" or "nonalcoholic fatty pancreas", seems to have an emerging role in different conditions. There are different method to evaluate the fat content in the pancreas, such as histology, different imaging techniques and endoscopic ultrasound, but there is no gold standard for the correct diagnosis and for the identification of "inter/intralobular" and "intra-acinar" pancreatic fat. However, the fat storage in the pancreas is linked to chronic inflammation and to several conditions, such as acute and chronic pancreatitis, type 2 diabetes mellitus and pancreatic cancer. In addition, pancreatic fat accumulation has also been demonstrated to play a role in surgical outcome after pancreatectomy, in particular for the development of postoperative pancreatic fistula. Different possible therapeutic approaches have been proposed, but there is still a lack of evidence. The aim of this review is to report the current evidence about the relationship between the obesity, the pancreatic fat accumulation and its potential role in pancreatic diseases.

Computed Tomography Imaging Evaluation of Pancreatic Density and Muscular Mass as Predictive Risk Factors for Pancreatic Fistula Formation after Duodenocephalopancreasectomy

The aim of this study was to investigate the predictive role of preoperative pancreatic density and muscular mass, assessed via CT imaging, in patients undergoing duodenocephalopancreasectomy, specifically in relation to the occurrence of postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF). A retrospective analysis was conducted on a cohort of 57 consecutive patients who had been diagnosed with cephalo-pancreatic disease and had undergone duodenocephalopancreasectomy in the last five years. The most prevalent pathologies observed were ductal adenocarcinoma (29.2%), biliary adenocarcinoma (12.9%), and duodenal and papillary adenocarcinoma (13.9%). We collected information about age, sex, histopathological findings, type of surgery, presence or absence of pancreatic fistula, pancreatic density on preoperative CT images, and muscular area, calculated at the level of the L3 vertebra using “3D Slicer” software. Our data show that 28% of patients developed a pancreatic fistula, with an average attenuation of pancreatic density of 27 HU, which was lower than that observed in the non-fistula group (33.31 HU). However, statistical analysis did not reveal a significant association between low pancreatic density and fistula development. Therefore, our findings do not establish a significant association between pancreatic fistula and pancreatic density, aligning with the existing literature on the subject.

Implementation of ERAS in pancreaticoduodenectomy in an Australian tertiary centre

Background/objectivesRecent studies have demonstrated that enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols in pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) may decrease morbidity and length of stay. This study aimed to critically assess the implementation of ERAS in patients who have undergone a PD in a tertiary centre. MethodsA retrospective cohort study of all patients who underwent a PD prior to ERAS, compared to following implementation were assessed. Outcome measures of length of stay, morbidity, mortality and readmission rates between the two groups were evaluated. Results169 patients were included in the study (pre-ERAS, n = 29; stage 1, n = 14; stage 2, n = 53, stage 3, n = 73) with mean age of 64 ± 11.3 years. ERAS significantly increased the proportion of patients reaching the target length of stay of nine days (P = 0.017). It did not significantly impact overall mortality, morbidity, radiological intervention, reoperation or readmission (P > 0.05). ERAS did not have a significant impact on development of pancreatic fistula, ileus, infection or haemorrhage (P > 0.05). ERAS did significantly reduce rates of delayed gastric emptying (DGE) from 82.8% pre-ERAS to 49.0% in the stage 2 of implementation phase (P < 0.001). ConclusionsThe early implementation of the ERAS programme was safe although some obstacles were encountered. ERAS was beneficial in increasing the proportion of patients reaching the target length of stay without increasing readmission, reoperation, or morbidity. Our findings support the continued development of ERAS in PD in order to standardise care and improve patient recovery.

Pancreaticoduodenal injuries at a tertiary care centre-clinical profile, associated injuries, management modalities, and outcomes

Background: Pancreaticoduodenal injuries are considerably associated with high morbidity and mortality due to delayed diagnosis and subsequent delay in treatment. This makes the treatment of these injuries challenging. We have studied the presentation, diagnosis, management and outcome of these complex injuries. Methods: A prospective observational study was done at general surgery department, Government medical college Nagpur from October 2020 to September 2022. Mortality, morbidity, and various treatment modalities were evaluated. Results: Thirty two patients presented to the Trauma care center with history and symptoms suggestive of isolated pancreatic, duodenal, and combined pancreaticoduodenal injuries. Most of the injuries were blunt trauma cases. The ratio of hemodynamically stable: unstable was 1:1. Majority injuries were to pancreas followed by duodenum and combined organ injuries. Most of cases were diagnosed by CT scan. In this study 56% of cases had a non-operative line of treatment while 44% underwent surgical intervention. Among the patients operated 5 died, within 7 days of admission due to post-operative complications-hemorrhage, sepsis, aspiration pneumonia, and anastomotic leak. Two patients died due to delayed complications due to the development of pancreatic fistula and enterocutaneous fistula. Mortality rate was 27.2% in this study. Conclusions: Early presentation and prompt diagnosis is the key to the management of such injuries. Patients managed conservatively need close monitoring, repeated assessments, and long-term follow-up.

Preemptive wirsungostomy: a safe fistula for avoiding a dreadful fistula in elective or planned pancreatoduodenectomy

BackgroundHigh-risk pancreatic anastomosis can lead to a high mortality rate after PD due to the development of postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF). Performing a wirsungostomy by externalizing the pancreatic duct is a poorly known alternative to anastomosis which could reduce the risk of POPF and the associated severe morbidity MethodsWe retrospectively evaluated patients who underwent primary wirsungostomy with PD from January 2007 to December 2021 in our tertiary referral center. Rates of morbidity and mortality with long-term pancreatic functions were studied. ResultsSixty patients were included. The median Updated Alternative Fistula Risk Score (ua-FRS) was 52%, with 95% patients in the high-risk ua-FRS category and 88.3% patients with stage D risk of developing POPF according to the classification of the ISGPS. The mortality rate was 3.3%, and overall 90-day postoperative morbidity was 63.7% with 50% of patients developing major complications. Mean follow-up was 29.8 months. Twelve patients (20%) became diabetic and 35 patients (58.3%) had preserved pancreatic endocrine function ConclusionPreemptive wirsungostomy with PD could be an appropriate procedure for patients with high-risk pancreatic anastomosis. The high associated morbidity could be compromised by the low mortality and preservation of endocrine function compared to total pancreatectomy or severe POPF.

Retrospective Analysis of the Effect of Hand-sewn and Stapler Closure of Pancreatic Stump After Distal Pancreatectomy on the Development of Postoperative Pancreatic Fistula

Aim: Hand-sewn (HS) and stapled closure (ST) of pancreatic stump following distal pancreatectomy are two frequently used techniques. Rates of postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) might be associated with stump closure techniques. This study was carried out to determine rates of POPF after distal pancreatectomy and evaluate impact of two closure methods on development of POPF. &#x0D; Material and Methods: All patients who underwent elective open or laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy for malignant and benign pancreatic pathologies between 2011 and 2021 were retrospectively evaluated. Patients were grouped as Groups HS and ST. POPF was diagnosed and graded according to International Study Group of Pancreatic Fistula guidelines. Rates of biochemical leak and grades of POPF were primary outcome. &#x0D; Results: There were 44 patients (28 in Group HS and 16 in Group ST) with a mean age of 51.8±15.1 years. Groups were similar in demographic and clinical characteristics (p&gt;0.05). There were 15 patients (53.6%) with a biochemical leak in Group HS. In Group ST, six patients (37.5%) developed biochemical leaks. There was no significant in difference between groups in terms of biochemical leak (p=0.305). No patient in Group ST developed a pancreatic fistula. There was only one case with Grade B POPF in Group HS. We did not detect a significant difference in terms of POPF between groups (p=0.999). &#x0D; Conclusion: Both techniques had no significant impact on biochemical leak and POPF rates in patients who underwent distal pancreatectomy. Both pancreatic stump closure approaches are equally safe and can be used with similar clinical efficacy.

The effect of duct width and pancreatic gland structure on pancreatic fistula rates in patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy for pancreatic cancer

Introduction: One of the most important causes of morbidity in pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) surgery is pancreatic anastomosis leakage. There is a possibility of pancreatic fistula even in the most experienced hands. After PD, pancreatic fistula occurs between 10% and 20% in various series. This study aims to evaluate the effects of pancreatic duct size and pancreatic tissue on the development of pancreatic fistula after PD is performed in our center. Material and Method: Pancreatic duct size was categorized as small &amp;lt;3 mm and large &amp;gt;3 mm. Pancreatic gland tissue was categorized as a soft, medium, and hard. These variables were calculated preoperatively with the help of computed tomography (CT), ultrasonography(USG), and Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), and postoperative pathology results. It was accepted that the 24-hour flow rate of the drain behind the pancreatic anastomosis was more than 50 ml during 3 days after PD and/or the amylase concentration of the drain content measured at 3 different times was 3 times higher than the serum amylase concentration. Results: A total of 90 patients were included in the study, anastomotic leakage was not observed in 63 (70%) of 90 patients, and leakage was observed in 27 (30%) patients. The mean age was 71.22±10.78 years (p=0.615). There was no statistically significant difference between the ductus diameters between the two groups (p=0.240). There was no statistical difference between the groups formed according to pancreatic duct width. (p=0.059). It was observed that 60.3% of the patients in the non-leakage group had a hard appearance, and this rate was statistically significantly reduced to 29.6% in the patients with leakage (p=0.008). Conclusion: In summary, our study showed that pancreatic fistula after PD is associated with soft pancreatic parenchyma. The surgeon should consider this risk factor when performing a PD and be more careful to reduce the rate of pancreatic fistula.

The strategy of surgical treatment of patients with tumor diseases of the pancreatoduodenal zone

Aims. To improve the results of surgical treatment of patients with tumor diseases of the pancreatoduodenal zone. Materials and methods. The cohort study included 94 patients with tumor diseases of the pancreatoduodenal zone who underwent pancreatoduodenal resection in 2014–2019. All patients belonged to the category of resectable and borderline resectable. Two groups of patients were formed. II (comparison group) — patients who received treatment in 2014–2017 (n=49). In this group of patients, the risk of developing postoperative pancreatic fistula was not calculated and the choice of the technique for the formation of pancreatoenteroanastomosis was carried out depending on the preferences of the operating surgeon. I (main group) — patients who were treated in 2018–2019 (n=45). In this group of patients, the choice of the technique for the formation of pancreatoenteroanastomosis was carried out in accordance with the developed algorithm, depending on the risk of postoperative pancreatic fistula development, and also, according to indications, a new method of reservoir terminolateral pancreatojejunostomy was used. A comparative analysis revealed the representativeness of the studied groups in terms of the main parameters (gender, age, comorbidity index, anesthetic risk, the presence of obstructive jaundice, tumor localization, stage of the disease). Results. The use of the developed algorithm led to a significant decrease in the incidence of postoperative complications from 73.4 to 37.8% (p&lt;0.01), postoperative pancreatic fistulas from 28.6 to 6.6% (p&lt;0.05), postoperative pancreatitis from 32.6 to 11.1% (p&lt;0.05) and arrosive bleeding from the intervention area from 18.3 to 2.2% (p&lt;0.05). Conclusions. The use of a differentiated algorithm for choosing the formation method made it possible to improve the immediate results of surgical treatment of patients suffering from tumor diseases of the pancreatoduodenal zone.

High Values of Drain Fluid Epidermal Growth Factor and Transforming Growth Factor-Beta Are Associated with the Development of Pancreatic Fistula after Pancreatoduodenectomy

Introduction: Postoperative inflammatory response may act as a major determinant of anastomotic failure after pancreaticoduodenectomy. In this pilot study, we investigated the potential role of drain fluid cytokines in predicting postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF). Methods: Drain fluid TGF-β, IGF-1, EGF, and IL-6, together with serum amylase and drain fluid amylase, were measured on POD1 and correlated with the development of POPF. Results: The study population consisted of 66 patients. POPF and Clavien-Dindo ≥3 morbidity rates were 12.1% and 9.1%, respectively. Patients developing POPF presented significantly higher values of POD1 serum amylase level (477 vs. 54 UI/L, p < 0.001), drain fluid amylase (7,500 vs. 127 UI/L, p < 0.001), TGFβ (94 vs. 40 pg/g, p = 0.045), and EGF (17 vs. 13, p = 0.015). There were no differences in terms of IGF-1 and IL-6 values. Conclusion: Assessing the local inflammatory response after pancreatoduodenectomy could represent a promising field of research since both TGFβ and EGF seem to be associated with the occurrence of POPF.

Resection Strategies in BD-IPMN - Enucleation or Standard Resection?

The malignant potential and the surgical management of branch duct intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (BD-IPMNs) remain controversial. Enucleation (EN), as parenchyma-sparing resections of the pancreas, may be a valuable alternative to standard resections (SR), e.g., Whipple or distal pancreatectomy, for the treatment of BD-IPMN. However, its role is still poorly defined. The objective of this review is to compare indications and postoperative outcomes after pancreatic EN versus SR. A review of the literature was carried out. Short- and long-term postoperative outcomes of both surgical approaches were evaluated. EN is associated with shorter operation time and less blood loss than SR. The overall surgical morbidity does not differ between the two approaches. Although EN is less invasive, the development of pancreatic fistula is the most important complication after EN, as several studies have reported a higher rate of pancreatic fistula than after SR. However, the differences between the two procedures are mitigated in high-volume centres. EN more frequently allows the preservation of pancreatic exocrine and endocrine function in comparison to SR and this is the most important advantage of this procedure. EN appears to be a safe and effective alternative to treat low-risk BD-IPMN, and allows preservation of endocrine and exocrine function. Moreover, postoperative complications and recurrence rates after EN are comparable to the much more extensive surgical procedures. However, pancreatic EN should be performed by experienced surgeons and, as non-oncological procedure, patients should be very accurately selected. This underlines the importance of treatment in high-volume institutions.