Prophylactic irrigation around a pancreaticojejunostomy for the treatment of a pancreatic fistula after a pancreaticoduodenectomy in patients with a risky pancreatic remnant.
OBJECTIVE
Postoperative morbidity after a pancreaticoduodenectomy remains high mainly due to pancreatic fistula, but effective methods to prevent the development of pancreatic fistula have yet to be established. The present study prospectively investigated whether postoperative prophylactic irrigation around the pancreaticojejunostomy might be able to prevent eventual pancreatic fistula and infectious complications after a pancreaticoduodenectomy.


METHODS
Among 75 patients undergoing a pancreaticoduodenectomy between 2003 and 2005, 50 patients in whom the drain amylase level on postoperative day 1 were 1,500 IU/L or more were selected for the present study. Twenty-six of the 50 patients underwent postoperative prophylactic 72-hour continuous irrigation around the pancreaticojejunostomy starting from postoperative day 1 (Irrigation group). On the other hand, 24 of them did not undergo such irrigation (Non-irrigation group). The incidence of pancreatic fistula, infectious complications, delayed gastric emptying, and the length of hospital stay were then compared between the 2 groups.


RESULTS
The incidences of pancreatic fistula, wound infection, drain infection, sepsis, delayed gastric emptying, overall morbidity, and length of hospital stay were found to be significantly less in the irrigation group than in the non-irrigation group.


CONCLUSIONS
Prophylactic irrigation may possibly be able to prevent the occurrence of pancreatic fistula and infectious complications after a pancreaticoduodenectomy in patients with a risky pancreatic remnant.
Nakano
Hiroshi
H
Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, St. Marianna University Hospital, 2-16-1 Sugao, Miyamae-ku, Kawasaki 216-8511, Japan. nakahiro@marianna-u.ac.jp
Asakura
Takeshi
T
Sakurai
Joe
J
Koizumi
Satoshi
S
Asano
Takayuki
T
Watanabe
Taiji
T
Otsubo
Takehito
T
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010185:Pancreatic Fistula / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016577:Pancreaticoduodenectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010193:Pancreaticojejunostomy; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation