Drain selection reduces pancreatic fistulae risk: a propensity-score matched study.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Appropriate drainage management after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) is important to prevent and manage serious complications. This prospective study evaluated postoperative complications with either closed or open drainage placement after PD.

METHODOLOGY

The incidence of postoperative complications in patients of PD, assigned to 2 groups of closed- and open-drain systems based on assessment periods, were investigated using propensity scores matching (PSM) after accounting for potential covariates.

RESULTS

Baseline characteristics were comparable in both groups of patients [n = 100; open, 36; closed, 64). Pancreatic fistulae requiring clinical treatment, and wound infection, were found in 33.3% and 15.6%, and 22.2% and 0%, of patients in open- and closed-drainage groups, respectively. Drainage fluid culture showed exogenous infection (63.6% of bacteria) in the open-drain group which was absent in the closed-drainage group. PSM cohorts had 26 patients in either group. Following PSM, pancreatic fistulae requiring treatment were found in 12/26 (46.2%) and 3/26 (11.5%) of patients in the open- and closed-drain groups (RR, 0.25, 95% CI, 0.08-0.81), respectively. Intra-abdominal abscess (5/26 [19.2%]) and wound infection (7/26 [26.9%]) were found in the open-drain group only.

CONCLUSION

These results indicate postoperative retrograde infections may be prevented, and the incidence of pancreatic fistula reduced, with a closed drainage system.