Pancreatic Fistula In Patients Research Articles

Incidence of Pancreatic Leakage in Isolated Biliary Limb Roux-en-Y Reconstruction in Whipple Procedure

Abstract Background Whipple is currently the procedure of choice in the treatment of localized pancreatic cancer. Isolated Roux-en-Y loop pancreaticojejunostomy was proposed as a method of reconstruction following pancreaticoduodenectomy. The idea is to isolate the bile from pancreatic secretions to minimize pancreatic enzyme activation and ultimately pancreatic fistula formation. It was also proposed that if a pancreatic fistula develops, it will be a pure fistula and thereby more benign as opposed to a mixed pancreatic fistula containing bile. Objective To estimate the incidence of pancreatic fistula in patients undergoing isolated Roux-en- Y hepaticojejunostomy reconstruction following pancreaticoduodenectomy. Patients and Methods In this prospective observational study, our aim is to calculate the incidence of post-operative pancreatic fistula in 20 patients that underwent Roux-en-Y isolated biliary limb reconstruction following pancreaticoduodenectomy for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. The study includes patients that underwent this procedure at Ain Shams University Hospitals in the period between January 2021 and July 2022 with a post-operative follow up period of 3 weeks. Patients were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer using MRI or CT scans with some of them also undergoing endoscopic US with biopsy. They were then admitted to one of the two main Ain Shams University Hospitals for pre-operative preparation. Results Our study did no estimate post-operative complications such as delayed gastric emptying and wound infection. Pancreaticoduodenectomy is a major surgery that carries a significant burden in terms of morbidity and mortality. Post-operative pancreatic fistula can be fatal as it can lead to vascular pseudoaneurysms that may fatally rupture. The idea behind using isolated biliary limb roux-en-y reconstruction is to alleviate the morbidity caused by post-operative pancreatic fistula. Conclusion Further comparative studies with a higher number of patients are recommended to assess and compare the value of isolated biliary limb reconstruction when compared to conventional reconstruction.

Incidence of clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula in patients undergoing open and minimally invasive pancreatoduodenectomy: a population-based study.

Postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) remains a devastating complication of pancreatoduodenectomy (PD). Minimally invasive PD (MIPD), including laparoscopic (LPD) and robotic (RPD) approaches, have comparable POPF rates to open PD (OPD). However, we hypothesize that the likelihood of having a more severe POPF, as defined as clinically relevant POPF (CR-POPF), would be higher in an MIPD relative to OPD. The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) targeted pancreatectomy dataset (2014-2020) was reviewed for any POPF after OPD. Propensity score matching (PSM) compared MIPD to OPD, and then RPD to LPD. Among 3,083 patients who developed a POPF, 2,843 (92.2%) underwent OPD and 240 (7.8%) MIPD; of these, 25.0% were LPD (n = 60) and 75.0% RPD (n = 180). Grade B POPF was observed in 45.4% (n = 1,400), and grade C in 6.0% (n = 185). After PSM, MIPD patients had higher rates of CR-POPF (47.3% OPD vs. 54.4% MIPD, p = 0.037), as well as higher reoperation (9.1% vs. 15.3%, p = 0.006), delayed gastric emptying (29.2% vs. 35.8%, p = 0.041), and readmission rates (28.2% vs. 35.1%, p = 0.032). However, CR-POPF rates were comparable between LPD and RPD (56.8% vs. 49.3%, p = 0.408). The impact of POPF is more clinically pronounced after MIPD than OPD with a more complex postoperative course. The difference appears to be attributed to the minimally invasive environment itself as no difference was noted between LPD and RPD. A clear biological explanation of this clinical observation remains missing. Further studies are warranted.

Factors associated with postoperative pancreatic fistula in patients undergoing pancreatoduodenectomy: analysis of 73 cases

Factors associated with postoperative pancreatic fistula in patients undergoing pancreatoduodenectomy: analysis of 73 cases

Prevention strategies for reducing the incidence of postoperative pancreatic fistulas in patients following pancreatoduodenectomy

Objective — to design and implement a preventive approach aimed at reducing the incidence of postoperative pancreatic fistulas and other complications following pancreatoduodenectomy in patients diagnosed with cancer of the pancreatic head and periampullary region.
 Materials and methods. The present study involved the analysis of treatment outcomes for a cohort of 370 patients diagnosed with cancer of the pancreatic head and periampullary region who underwent pancreatoduodenectomy during the years 2015—2021. Between November 2018 and December 2021, a total of 141 patients were operated on using our modified pancreatic fistula risk score, an evaluation of preoperative sarcopenia status, and our risk mitigation strategies aimed at minimising postoperative complications. These patients made up the main group. The comparison group included a total of 229 patients. The surgical procedures were conducted between January 2015 and October 2018, employing generally accepted methods. However, the risk evaluation of potential pancreatic fistulas, the presence of sarcopenia, and the implementation of suggested prevention strategies were not taken into account.
 Results. The incidence of postoperative complications was significantly higher in the comparison group, with complications occurring in 94 (41.0%) patients, while in the main group, complications occurred in 43 (30.5%) patients (χ2=4.1; p=0.04). In the main group, a total of 16 (11.3%) patients experienced a clinically relevant grade B postoperative pancreatic fistula, which was significantly lower than in the comparison group, where the grade B or grade C fistula occurred in 64 (27.9%) patients (χ2=14.2; p=0.0002). In the main group, 2 patients died; the mortality rate was 1.4%. In the comparison group, 5 patients died, and the mortality rate was 2.2%. This rate was shown to be higher (χ2=0.27; p=0.6) when compared to the main group.
 Conclusions. The implemented approach demonstrated a substantial reduction in the incidence of postoperative pancreatic fistulas from 27.9% to 11.3%, the number of postoperative complications from 41.0% to 30.5%, and mortality from 2.2% to 1.4%.

The Role of C-reactive Protein and Procalcitonin in Predicting the Occurrence of Pancreatic Fistula in Patients who Underwent Laparoscopic Pancreaticoduodenectomy: a Retrospective Study.

The occurrence of postoperative pancreatic fistula following laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy (LPD) is a significant concern, yet there is currently a lack of consensus on reliable predictive methods for this complication. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the clinical significance of C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT) values and their reliability in early predicting the development of clinically relevant pancreatic fistula (CRPF) following LPD.A retrospective analysis was conducted using data from 120 patients who had LPD between September 2019 and December 2021. Preoperative assessment data, standard patients' demographic and clinicopathological characteristics, intra- and postoperative evaluation, as well as postoperative laboratory values on postoperative days (PODs) 1, 3, and 7, including white blood cells (WBCs), CRP, and PCT, were prospectively recorded on a dedicated database. Two clinicians separately collected and cross-checked all of the data.Among 120 patients [77 men (64%), 43 women (36%], CRPF occurred in 15 patients (11 grade B and 4 grade C fistulas). The incidence rate of CRPF was 12.3%. A comparison of the median values of WBCs, PCT, and CRP across the two groups revealed that the CRPF group had higher values on most PODs than the non-CRPF group. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to calculate the area under the curve (AUC) and cutoff values. It was discovered that POD 3 has the most accurate and significant values for WBCs, CRP, and PCT. According to the ROC plots, the AUC for WBCs was 0.842, whereas the AUC for PCT was 0.909. As for CRP, the AUC was 0.941 (95% CI 0.899-0.983, p<0.01) with a cutoff value of 203.45, indicating a sensitivity of 93.3% and specificity of 91.4%.Both CRP and PCT can be used to predict the early onset of CRPF following LPD, with CRP being slightly superior on POD 3.

Prevalence of Malnutrition and the Value of Predicting Pancreatic Fistula in Patients with Laparoscopic Pancreatoduodenectomy.

Background: Pancreatoduodenectomy is a standard surgical procedure for periampullary tumors. With recent improvements in perioperative management, postoperative mortality has decreased significantly in recent years; however, postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) is still one of the most prevalent and dangerous complications. The purpose of this study was to analyze the prevalence of malnutrition and the value of predicting POPF in patients with laparoscopic pancreatoduodenectomy (LPD). Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the perioperative data of 747 patients undergoing LPD in the Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, China. Simultaneously, we analyzed the prevalence rate of malnutrition with three different nutritional assessment scores and explored the independent risk variables for POPF to identify potential predictive value. Results: Malnutrition was observed in 20.1% of patients with the prognostic nutritional index (PNI), 85.0% of patients with the controlling nutritional status (CONUT) score, and 73.1% of patients with the NRI score. Univariate and multivariate analyses all showed that the risk factors for POPF were pancreatic texture, pancreatic duct diameter, abdominal infection, body mass index (BMI), nomogram-revised risk index (NRI), and PNI. The receiver operating characteristic curve indicated that the BMI/PNI ratio was capable of predicting the occurrence of clinical POPF following LPD, with an area under the curve of 0.708. Conclusions: Compared with no malnourished patients, malnutrition is associated with a higher risk of POPF among patients with LPD. In addition, the BMI/PNI ratio has some predictive value in the development of POPF following LPD.

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio on postoperative day three as a biochemical predictor of clinically significant pancreatic fistula in patients undergoing distal pancreatectomy

Introduction and aimsDistal pancreatectomy is a frequent procedure and postoperative fistula, its most common complication, has an incidence of 30 to 60%. The aim of the present work was to study the role of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, as indicators of inflammatory response in the setting of pancreatic fistula. MethodsA retrospective observational study was conducted on patients that underwent distal pancreatectomy. The diagnosis of postoperative pancreatic fistula was made according to the definition proposed by the International Study Group on Pancreatic Fistula. The relation of postoperative pancreatic fistula to the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio was determined in the postoperative evaluation. SPSS v.21 software was utilized for the statistical analysis and a P<.05 was considered statistically significant. ResultsA total of 12 patients (27.2%) developed grade B or grade C postoperative pancreatic fistula. ROC curves were constructed and a threshold of 8.3 (PPV 0.40, NPV 0.86) was established for the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, with an area under the curve of 0.71, sensitivity of 0.81, and specificity of 0.62, whereas a threshold of 33.2 (PPV 0.50, NPV 0.84) was established for the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, with an area under the curve of 0.72, sensitivity of 0.72, and specificity of 0.71. ConclusionThe neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio are serologic markers that can aid in identifying patients that will present with grade B or grade C postoperative pancreatic fistula, thus helping to provide an opportune focus on care and resources.

Effects of ketorolac on complications and postoperative pancreatic fistula in patients undergoing pancreatectomy

BackgroundThere are conflicting data on the risk of postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) associated with postoperative NSAID use. The primary objective of this multi-center retrospective study was to assess the relationship between ketorolac use and POPF. The secondary objective was to assess for effect of ketorolac use on overall complication rate. MethodsRetrospective chart review of patients undergoing pancreatectomy from January 1, 2005–January 1, 2016 was performed. Data on patient factors (age, sex, comorbidities, previous surgical history etc.), operative factors (surgical procedure, estimated blood loss, pathology etc.), and outcomes (morbidities, mortality, readmission, POPF) were collected. The cohort was compared based on ketorolac use. ResultsThe study included 464 patients. Ninety-eight (21%) patients received ketorolac during the study period. Ninety-six (21%) patients were diagnosed with POPF within 30 days. There was a significant association between ketorolac use and clinically relevant POPF (21.4 vs. 12.7%) (p = 0.04, 95% CI [1.76, 1.04–2.97]). There was no significant difference in overall morbidity or mortality between the groups. DiscussionThough there was no overall increase in morbidity, there was a significant association between POPF and ketorolac use. The use of ketorolac after pancreatectomy should be judicious.

Staple line lockstitch reinforcement decreases clinically relevant pancreatic fistula following distal pancreatectomy: Results of a propensity score matched retrospective analysis.

Postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) remains the primary complication of distal pancreatectomies. We aimed to review whether staple line reinforcement with continuous lockstitches would lead to decreased grade B and C pancreatic fistula in patients undergoing distal pancreatectomy. This retrospective study enrolled consecutive patients scheduled to undergo distal pancreatectomy at a large tertiary hospital. A comparison was conducted between lockstitch reinforcement and non-reinforcement for remnant closure during distal pancreatectomies from August 2016 to February 2021. Propensity score matching was applied to balance the two groups with covariates including abdominal and back pain, diabetes mellitus, and estimated blood loss. The primary outcome was POPF rate. A total of 153 patients were enrolled in the study (89 lockstitch reinforcements, 64 non-reinforcements), of whom 128 patients (64 per group) were analyzed after propensity score matching (1:1). The total POPF rate was 21.9%. POPF was identified in 12.5% (8/64) of the patients who underwent resection with lockstitch reinforcement and 31.2% (20/64) of the patients without reinforcement (odds ratio 0.314, 95% confidence interval 0.130-0.760, P=0.010). No deaths occurred in either group. Neither the major complication rate nor the length of hospital stay after surgery differed between the groups. Compared with the use of stapler alone, staple line lockstitch reinforcement for remnant closure during distal pancreatectomy could reduce the POPF rate. Further multicenter randomized clinical trials are required to confirm these results.

The clinical impact of modified transpancreatic mattress sutures with polyglactin 910 woven mesh on postoperative pancreatic fistula in distal pancreatectomy

BackgroundWe previously reported the stump closure method for the remnant pancreas in distal pancreatectomy, in which soft coagulation and polyglycolic acid felt attached with fibrin glue were utilized. Transpancreatic mattress suture with polyglactin 910 woven mesh was recently reported as a novel stump closure technique. We developed the modified transpancreatic mattress suture with polyglactin 910 woven mesh method, which combined our polyglycolic acid felt method with the transpancreatic mattress suture with polyglactin 910 woven mesh method. MethodsThe polyglycolic acid felt group included patients undergoing distal pancreatectomy in whom the pancreatic stump was closed with the polyglycolic acid felt method from 2017 to 2018 (n = 54); whereas the modified transpancreatic mattress suture with polyglactin 910 woven mesh group included those whose stump was closed with the modified transpancreatic mattress suture with polyglactin 910 woven mesh method from 2019 to 2020 (n = 51). Perioperative parameters, including grade B/C postoperative pancreatic fistula (clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula), were assessed according to the stump closure method. ResultsThe incidence of clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula was significantly lower in the modified transpancreatic mattress suture with polyglactin 910 woven mesh group than in the polyglycolic acid felt group (7.8% vs 22.2%, P = .036). In multivariate analysis, the use of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and the transpancreatic mattress suture with polyglactin 910 woven mesh method were independent factors for preventing clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula (P = .011 and 0.0038, respectively). Moreover, in the modified transpancreatic mattress suture with polyglactin 910 woven mesh group, the incidence of clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula in patients with a thick pancreas (≥13 mm, 6.7%) was comparably as low as that in patients with a thin pancreas (<13 mm, 9.5%). ConclusionThe modified transpancreatic mattress suture with polyglactin 910 woven mesh method is an effective stump closure technique to prevent clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula after distal pancreatectomy. Our results warrant further prospective investigation to evaluate the efficacy of the modified transpancreatic mattress suture with polyglactin 910 woven mesh method compared with other standard closure methods (eg, stapler closure or hand-sewn closure).

Prophylactic octreotide for postoperative pancreatic fistula in patients with pancreatoduodenectomy: Risk-stratified analysis.

Background:Postoperative pancreatic fistula is one of the most critical complications following pancreatic surgery. This study aimed to evaluate the utility of selective prophylactic octreotide for patients at high risk of developing postoperative pancreatic fistula.Methods:From June 2019 to July 2020, 263 patients underwent pancreatoduodenectomy with pancreatojejunostomy at Samsung Medical Center. The individual fistula risk scores were calculated using a previously developed nomogram. The clinicopathological data of the patients were retrospectively reviewed.Results:There were 81 patients in the low-risk group and 182 patients in the high-risk group. No statistically significant differences were found in the rates of clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula between octreotide group and the control group in all patients (15.0% vs 14.7%, P = .963) and in the high-risk group (16.1% vs 23.6%, P = .206). In risk factor analysis, postoperative octreotide was not an independent risk factor for clinically relevant pancreatic fistula in all patients and the high-risk group. Drain fluid amylase levels on the first postoperative day were significantly associated with clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula, regardless of the individual risk.Conclusions:The selective use of octreotide, even in high-risk patients, showed no protective effect against pancreatic fistula. Therefore, the routine use of postoperative octreotide is not recommended.

Robotic Distal Gastrectomy Reduces Drain Amylase Values in Patients With a Small Pancreas-left Gastric Artery Angle.

Purpose:Pancreatic fistula is a severe complication after laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (LDG). We previously evaluated the pancreas-left gastric artery angle (PLA) as a risk indicator for developing a pancreatic fistula after LDG. This study evaluated the incidence of pancreatic fistula with robotic distal gastrectomy (RDG) in comparison to LDG from the view of the PLA.Materials and Methods:An association between the PLA and the incidence of pancreatic fistula in 165 patients who underwent either RDG (n=45) or LDG (n=120) was investigated retrospectively.Results:RDG patients had significantly lower drain amylase values (postoperative day 2) than LDG patients. As opposed to LDG patients, drain amylase values were similar for patients with small (PLA <62 degrees) and large (PLA ≥62 degrees) PLA in RDG patients.Conclusion:Robotic surgery may reduce the risk of postoperative pancreatic fistula in patients with a small PLA.

Clinical outcomes of organ-preserving pancreatectomy for benign or low-grade malignant pancreatic tumors: A multicenter nationwide survey in Japan.

Whether organ-preserving pancreatic surgery has an advantage in postoperative short- and long-term outcomes or not is still unknown because only small case series studies have been available to date. In this multicenter retrospective study, we aimed to elucidate the clinical advantage and disadvantage of organ-preserving pancreatectomy among patients with low-grade malignant pancreatic tumors and benign pancreatic diseases. We included patients diagnosed with benign or low-malignant pancreatic tumor who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) in 621 cases, duodenum-preserving pancreatic head resection (DPPHR) in 31 cases, middle pancreatectomy (MP) in 148 cases, distal pancreatectomy (DP) in 814 cases, and spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy (SPDP) in 259 cases between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2017. Preoperative backgrounds, surgical outcomes and pre- and postoperative (3, 6, 12, 24, and 36months) nutritional status were compared between these procedures. In terms of short-term outcomes, the incidence of pancreatic fistula in patients who underwent MP was significantly higher than in patients with standard pancreatectomy. As for the long-term pancreatic functions in the cases of head or body lesion, both exocrine and endocrine functions after MP were significantly favorable compared with the PD group from 3 to 36months after surgery. In pancreatic body or tail lesion, significant advantage of endocrine function, but not exocrine function, was found in the MP group compared to standard DP at all time points. MP may contribute to the improvement of postoperative quality of life for patients with pancreatic body low-malignant tumors, rather than PD or DP; however, reducing the incidence of short-term complications such as pancreatic fistula is a future challenge.

Risk factors for postoperative pancreatic fistulas after pancreaticoduodenectomy

Annotation. Despite the constant improvement of surgical techniques of the pancreaticoduodenectomies (PD) performing and patient management after the procedure, the number of postoperative complications remains high, reaching from 30 to 60%, depending on the center. Among them, the most important role is played by the postoperative pancreatic fistulas (POPF). The goal of the study was to establish the risk factors that influenced on development of the pancreatic fistulas in patients after PD. The retrospective study of 108 case histories of patients who underwent PD in the period from 2008 to 2021 at the Surgery Clinic No. 2 at the Dnipro Regional Hospital named after I.I. Mechnikov was executed. Correlation analysis was performed with the calculation of Spearman's rank correlation coefficients (ρ) in the MedCalc Statistical Software trial software package, version 17.4. POPF were detected in 19 out of 108 patients (17.6%): type A was observed in 7 (6.5%) cases, type B in 9 patients (8.3%), type C in 3 (2.8%) cases. Spearman's rank-order correlation test identified indicators that were significantly associated with an increased risk of POPF developing: body mass index of patients (rs =0.2; p≤0.05); presence of comorbidities (rs =0.2; p≤0.05); volume and severity of blood loss during surgery (rs =0.19; p≤0.05 and rs =0.21; p≤0.05); pancreas parenchyma density on the site of the anastomosis formation (determined by palpation during the operation) (rs =0.24; p≤0.05); the number of vessels bleeding on the transverse section of the pancreas (rs = -0.33; p≤0.05); diameter of the Wirsung duct (rs= -0.49; p≤0.05). With the help of ROC-analysis, the cut-off points of the indicators were established: diameter of the Wirsung duct ≤2.5 mm, number of vessels in the transverse section of the pancreas ≤1, BMI˃26.3 kg/m2, and blood loss during surgery ˃700 ml. Sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic efficiency of indicators were calculated, the best result had the Wirsung duct diameter (area under ROC-curve AUC=0,868, 95 % СІ (0,789 - 0,925), sensitivity – 100%, specificity – 74,2%, р&lt;0,001). The significance of the factors influence on the result was assessed according to the multivariate logistic regression analysis. Thus, the significantly important risk factors for development of pancreatic fistulas after PD were: diameter of the Wirsung duct ≤2.5 mm, soft pancreatic parenchyma, number of vessels on the transverse section of the pancreas ≤1, BMI˃26.3 kg/m2 and blood loss during operation ˃700 ml.

The image-based preoperative fistula risk score (preFRS) predicts postoperative pancreatic fistula in patients undergoing pancreatic head resection

Clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula (CR-POPF) is a common severe surgical complication after pancreatic surgery. Current risk stratification systems mostly rely on intraoperatively assessed factors like manually determined gland texture or blood loss. We developed a preoperatively available image-based risk score predicting CR-POPF as a complication of pancreatic head resection. Frequency of CR-POPF and occurrence of salvage completion pancreatectomy during the hospital stay were associated with an intraoperative surgical (sFRS) and image-based preoperative CT-based (rFRS) fistula risk score, both considering pancreatic gland texture, pancreatic duct diameter and pathology, in 195 patients undergoing pancreatic head resection. Based on its association with fistula-related outcome, radiologically estimated pancreatic remnant volume was included in a preoperative (preFRS) score for POPF risk stratification. Intraoperatively assessed pancreatic duct diameter (p < 0.001), gland texture (p < 0.001) and high-risk pathology (p < 0.001) as well as radiographically determined pancreatic duct diameter (p < 0.001), gland texture (p < 0.001), high-risk pathology (p = 0.001), and estimated pancreatic remnant volume (p < 0.001) correlated with the risk of CR-POPF development. PreFRS predicted the risk of CR-POPF development (AUC = 0.83) and correlated with the risk of rescue completion pancreatectomy. In summary, preFRS facilitates preoperative POPF risk stratification in patients undergoing pancreatic head resection, enabling individualized therapeutic approaches and optimized perioperative management.

Risk Factors of Postoperative Clinically Relevant Pancreatic Fistula following Distal Pancreatectomy with Stapler Closure.

To analyse clinicopathological variables to determine risk factors of postoperative pancreatic fistula in patients having distal pancreatectomy with stapler closure. Observational study. Adana City Training and Research Hospital, Adana, Turkey, from January 2015 to May 2020. Medical files of 38 cases having distal pancreatectomy with stapler closure of the pancreatic remnant for conditions emerging from the pancreas or other organs were analysed. Data about demographics, perioperative and pathological findings, postoperative outcomes were gathered. Univariate analysis was utilised for comparisons of categorical data. The possible risk factors found to be significant in the univariate analysis were included into the logistic regression analysis. Based on the description reported by the International Study Group of Pancreatic Surgery, 23.7% and 31.6% of the patients had biochemical leakage and clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) respectively. Univariate and multivariate analyses made to determine risk factors of POPF showed a relation between stapler closure alone (p = 0.018) and soft parenchymal texture (p = 0.002) and clinically relevant POPF. Multivariate analyses revealed that parenchymal texture was the sole independent predictor of clinically relevant POPF (OR, 0.016, p = 0.039). Soft pancreatic texture is independently predictive of clinically relevant POPF following distal pancreatectomy with stapler closure. However, reinforcement of the stapler line with extra sutures decreases the risk of clinically relevant POPF. Key Words: Distal pancreatectomy, Pancreatic fistula, Stapler closure, Suture reinforcement.

Preoperative body mass index and amylase level predict postoperative pancreatic fistula independently

Postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) is one of the difficult complications after distal pancreatectomy (DP), resulting increased postoperative morbidity and mortality. It is still a hotspot to prevent the occurrence of POPF in recent researches. Our study aimed to investigate the risk factors of pancreatic fistula in patients following DP. We retrospectively analyzed 206 patients with DP in Tongji Hospital, China, from January 2014 to March 2019. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were performed to assess the risk factors of POPF. A total of 206 eligible patients were enrolled into this study, including 123 females and 83 males. The overall morbidity was 30.1%. Postoperative complications included postoperative biliary fistula (0.5%), delayed gastric emptying (1%), grade B pancreatic fistula (4.9%), grade C pancreatic fistula (1.9%), postoperative abdominal abscess (2.4%), wound infection (3.4%), percutaneous drainage (18.4%) and reoperation (0.5%). The first hospitalization time was 24 days. There were 21 patients re-hospitalized within 30 days and 8 patients within 90 days. No postoperative death was observed.Univariate analysis indicated that the occurrence of POPF was related to preoperative BMI > 25 kg/m2 (p = 0.034), serum pancreatic amylase > 53 U/L (p = 0.049), splenic preservation (p = 0.069) and splenic vessel preservation (p = 0.036). Multivariate analysis showed that preoperative BMI > 25 kg/m2 (OR = 2.637, p < 0.05) and serum pancreatic amylase > 53 U/L (OR = 2.658, p < 0.05) were independent risk factors of clinical related-postoperative pancreatic fistula. Preoperative BMI > 25 kg/m2 and serum amylase > 53 U/L are independent risk factors of POPF. It is necessary to monitor BMI and amylase level preoperatively in patients undergoing DP.

Impact of preoperative nutritional support and rehabilitation therapy in patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Sarcopenia is closely associated with morbidity after pancreatic surgery. We investigated the impact of preoperative nutritional support and rehabilitation on patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy. This was a retrospective analysis of 101 patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy. Skeletal muscle (SM) loss was defined using the SM index (cutoff level: 42 cm2/m2 in men and 38 cm2/m2 in women). A total of 33 and 30 patients received preoperative nutrition and prehabilitation, respectively. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI), and modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS) values were calculated during the first visit and immediately before surgery. SM loss was present in 65 of 101 patients and was significantly correlated with female sex, older age, lower body mass index, and low PNI. Preoperative nutritional support and prehabilitation prevented the decrease in PNI values in patients with SM loss. The NLR significantly improved in patients with SM loss who received nutritional support and prehabilitation. In patients with SM loss, the lack of preoperative nutrition and prehabilitation was an independent risk factor for postoperative pancreatic fistula. Preoperative nutritional support and prehabilitation may reduce the incidence of pancreatic fistula in patients with SM loss and improve the surgical outcomes of patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Robotic distal pancreatectomy reduces pancreatic fistula in patients without visceral obesity as compared to open distal pancreatectomy: A propensity score matching retrospective cohort study

BackgroundSeveral studies have suggested an association between visceral obesity and adverse perioperative outcomes in pancreatic surgery. However, no study has reported the impact of visceral obesity on robotic pancreatic surgery. This study aimed to assess the impact of preoperative visceral obesity on clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula (CR-POPF) in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients following robotic distal pancreatectomy (RDP) or open distal pancreatectomy (ODP). MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed on all patients who consecutively underwent RDP or ODP for PDAC. The visceral adipose tissue was measured on preoperative computed tomography (CT) images at the L3 vertebra level. A 1:1 propensity score matching method was used in the visceral obesity group and the nonvisceral obesity group to minimize the bias between RDP and ODP. ResultsBetween December 2011 and December 2018, a total of 445 patients were included. Visceral obesity (n = 219) was found to be associated with higher estimated blood loss (p = 0.033), a higher CR-POPF rate (p = 0.001), delayed drain removal (p = 0.005) and a longer length of stay (p = 0.033). In multivariable analysis, visceral obesity was an independent risk factor for CR-POPF (OR: 1.69; 95% CI 1.07–2.67, p = 0.024). Among patients without visceral obesity, the incidence of CR-POPF was lower among RDP than among ODP patients (11.27% vs. 23.87%, p = 0.028), and the difference remained after propensity score matching (9.52% vs. 26.98%, p = 0.011). However, there was no significant difference in the CR-POPF rate between RDP and ODP for visceral obesity patients. ConclusionIn nonvisceral obesity patients, RDP had better perioperative outcomes than ODP, with a significantly lower CR-POPF rate. However, in visceral obesity patients, RDP showed equivalent CR-POPF rate when compared to ODP.

The prognostic value of external vs internal pancreatic duct stents after pancreaticoduodenectomy in patients with FRS\u2009\u2265\u20094: a retrospective cohort study

BackgroundThe prognostic value of external vs internal pancreatic duct stents after pancreaticoduodenectomy remains controversial. This study aimed to evaluate the benefits of external and internal stents using the Fistula Risk Score system with regard to the incidence of clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula.MethodsA total of 382 patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy with duct to mucosa pancreaticojejunostomy were retrospectively enrolled from January 2015 to October 2019. The receiver operating characteristic curve was performed for subgroup analysis of the patients at different levels of risk for pancreatic fistula.ResultsThere were no significant differences in terms of pancreatic fistula or other postoperative complications. According to the receiver operating characteristic curve threshold of 3.5, 172 patients with a Fistula Risk Score ≥ 4 and 210 patients with a Fistula Risk Score < 4 were divided into separate groups. The number of valid cases was insufficient to support the subsequent research in patients with a Fistula Risk Score < 4. In patients with a Fistula Risk Score ≥ 4, the use of an external pancreatic duct stent was significantly more effective than the use of an internal stent, especially with regard to the risk for pancreatic fistula (Grade C) (P = 0.039), at ameliorating the incidence of clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula (P = 0.019). Additionally, the incidence of lymphatic leakage was significantly higher in the external stent group compared with the internal stent group (P = 0.040).ConclusionsCompared with internal stents, the use of an external stent could reduce the incidence of clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula in patients with a Fistula Risk Score ≥ 4. More large-scale prospective clinical trials are warranted to further clarify our results.