Pancreaticogastrostomy following distal pancreatectomy prevents pancreatic fistula-related complications.

BACKGROUND

The most common postoperative complication after distal pancreatectomy (DP) is still postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF), which is closely associated with other major complications and remains an unsolved problem.

METHODS

This retrospective study included 47 consecutive patients who underwent a distal pancreatectomy with (DP-PG group, n = 21) or without (DP group, n = 26) duct-to-mucosa pancreaticogastrostomy from June 2010 to May 2012. Clinical data including POPF-related complications (POPF, fluid collection, intra-abdominal abscess, bleeding and delayed gastric emptying) as a primary endpoint were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

The frequencies of POPF-related complications as well as overall POPF and complications in the DP-PG group were lower than in the DP group (P = 0.037, P < 0.001, respectively). The 30 days morbidity after hospital discharge in the DP-PG group was less than in the DP group (P = 0.014). In both groups median hospital stay was similar. Although additional time needed for pancreaticogastrostomy was 35 (20-55) min, there was no difference in operative times. Patients in the DP group had a higher medical cost for hospitalization than the DP-PG group (P = 0.048).

CONCLUSION

Pancreaticogastrostomy as an additional procedure following distal pancreatectomy was associated with a reduced rate of POPF-related complications that resulted in relatively lower medical cost for hospitalization.