Treatment of the pancreatic stump after DCP

F. Bentivegna, V. Cortese, S. Bentivegna, F. Cardì, P. Di Mattia, G. Barbera, A.M. Borzì, G. Zanghì

Department of General Surgery, Basso-Ragusa Mario Hospital, Militello in Val di Catania, Italy. filippo.bentivegna@aspct.it

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• Surgery

OBJECTIVE: With improvement in methods, mortality after duodeno-cefalo pancreatectomy (DCP) has decreased to 5% even if complication rate is still high (30-50%). The pancreatic fistula still occurs in 25-50% of cases. Various methods of treating pancreatic stump have been proposed aimed to improve this rate.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: The AA, surgeons of suburban hospital, have performed in five years, 2009-2013, 12 DCP. The pancreatic anastomosis has been in all cases an end-to-end duct-to-mucosa pancreatic-jejunostomy.

RESULTS: The prevalence of fistula has been 33% (4 cases, 3 grade A and 1 grade B according with ISGPF score).

CONCLUSIONS: Soft pancreas and small size of pancreatic duct are recognized as the mayor factor of risk for pancreatic fistula. In these cases are usually preferred pancreatic-jejunostomy (PJ) and pancreatic-gastro-anastomosis (PG). Both techniques show advantages and disadvantages: some randomized and prospective studies have demonstrated the absence of significative differences respect to the prevalence of pancreatic fistulas. Whipple method has been the most often used reconstructive method: a single loop with bile-pancreatic anastomosis and gastro-pancreatic anastomosis in sequence. A careful evaluation of pancretic tissue and Wirsung size with the aim of choosing the most suitable technique and an accurate execution are the most effective methods to prevent pancreatic fistula,even considering particular setting as elderly patient or HIV infection.

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