Extended pancreatoduodenectomy as defined by the International Study Group for Pancreatic Surgery is associated with worse survival but not with increased morbidity.

BACKGROUND

Recently, the International Study Group for Pancreatic Surgery presented a consensus statement on the definition of an extended pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Because extended resections are associated with increased morbidity and mortality, prognostic factors for outcome are mandatory to optimize patient selection. The aim of this study was to apply the new definition of an extended PD and to assess prognostic factors for short-term complications and survival in patients with PDAC.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was performed on a prospectively collected database running from 2004 to 2014. Inclusion criteria were all PD resections with histopathology-proven PDAC. Clinical data, operative results, and short- and long-term outcomes were analyzed.

RESULTS

We included 177 patients who underwent PD for PDAC in this study. Sixty-six patients (37%) underwent a standard PD and 111 (63%) underwent an extended PD. No differences were found in duration of postoperative stay (median, 13 days) or overall complication rate of 35% (n = 61). Severe complications occurred in 24 patients (13%). Male sex (odds ratio, 2.4; 95% CI, 0.9-6.6) was a prognostic factor for severe complications. There was no in-hospital or 90-day mortality in either group. Multivariate survival analysis showed that poor tumor differentiation (hazard ratio [HR], 2.0; 95% CI, 1.3-3.1), lymph node metastasis (HR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.4-3.9), neural invasion (HR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.2-3.1), were independent prognostic factors for worse survival. An extended resection was associated with worse survival, but was not an independent prognostic factor (HR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.0-2.3).

CONCLUSION

Extended PD is associated with worse survival but not with increased morbidity.