title: Delayed gastric emptying accelerates pancreatic anastomotic stricture formation after pancreaticogastrostomy for soft pancreas.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pancreatic duct dilatation induced anastomotic stenosis of the pancreatic duct is frequently observed in patients who have undergone pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) with pancreaticogastrostomy (PG). Patency of the pancreaticoenteric anastomosis is one of the most important factors affecting the function of the remnant pancreas and quality of life. Anastomotic stenosis after PG is observed in some patients after approximately 1 to 2 postoperative weeks and is attributed to acute inflammation and fibrosis around the anastomosis. We therefore evaluated the early postoperative changes in remnant pancreatic duct diameter after PG in patients with soft pancreas in terms of delayed gastric emptying (DGE).
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively studied 42 patients with soft pancreas who underwent PD with PG. They were divided into 2 groups depending on the grade of DGE; without or slightly DGE group (WS group) and moderate or severe DGE group (MS group).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean diameter of the pancreatic duct of the remnant pancreas was significantly smaller in the WS group than in the MS group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DGE accelerates pancreatic anastomotic stricture development after PG in patients having soft pancreas with a pancreatic duct with a small diameter. Hence, to maintain the pancreatic duct patency, preventing DGE is important.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Social Insurance Yokohama Central Hospital, Yokohama, Japan. ooida.takatsugu@yokochu.jp
authors.forename: Takatsugu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Oida
authors.forename: Hisao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kano
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mimatsu
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kawasaki
authors.forename: Youichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kuboi
authors.forename: Nobutada
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fukino
authors.forename: Kazutoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kida
authors.forename: Sadao
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Amano
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005746:Gastric Emptying; D005774:Gastrostomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010179:Pancreas / Q000601:surgery*; D016577:Pancreaticoduodenectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D012189:Retrospective Studies