A comparison of pancreaticoduodenectomy with pylorus preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy: a meta-analysis of 2822 patients.

BACKGROUND

The gold-standard for surgical excision of peri-ampullary tumours has not been established despite numerous studies, due to conflicting outcomes.

AIM

To consolidate the published evidence and compare outcomes between pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) and pylorus preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy (PPPD) across all published comparative studies.

METHODS

Using meta-analytical techniques the study compared: operative details, post-operative adverse events and survival following PD and PPPD. Comparative studies published between 1986 and 2005 of PD versus PPPD were included. A random effect model was employed, with significance reported at the 5% level.

RESULTS

32 studies comprising 2822 patients (1335 PD and 1487 PPPD), including 5 randomized controlled trials with 421 patients (215 PD and 206 PPPD) were included. Patients undergoing PPPD were found to have smaller tumours (weighted mean difference (WMD) -0.54 cm, p=0.030), although no significant difference in the number of patients with stage III or IV disease existed between the groups (odds ratio, OR 1.55, p=0.320). Decreased operating times (WMD -41.3 min, p=0.010) and fewer blood transfusions (WMD -0.9 units, p<0.001) were observed in the PPPD group. There was no difference in post-operative complications, including pancreatic and biliary leaks or fistulae, between the two groups. It was suggested that peri-operative mortality was decreased in the PPPD group (OR 1.7, p=0.040), and overall survival was better (hazard ratio (HR) 0.66, p=0.02), although this did not remain significant on subgroup analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Both PD and PPPD had similar peri-operative adverse events, however, in overall analysis PPPD has lower mortality and improved long-term patient survival, although this was not reflected in the sub-group analysis.