BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of the study was to analyze in-hospital morbidity and mortality after pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) with a modified duct-to-mucosa pancreaticojejunostomy. METHODOLOGY: We retrospectively analyzed 101 consecutive patients who underwent PD at our center between January 2002 and December 2010. Two-layered duct-to-mucosa pancreaticojejunostomy was performed over an internal transanastomotic stent in all patients. RESULTS: The overall in-hospital morbidity and mortality rate was 48% and 6%, respectively. Three patients died as a consequence of local complications including mesenteric ischemia in two and acute necrotizing pancreatitis in one case. Pancreatic fistula occurred in one (1%) patient and was treated conservatively with good outcome. The wound infection was the most common surgical complication (20/101; 20%) and occurred more often in patients who had a biliary stent inserted endoscopically prior to surgery (15/38; 39%), as compared to those without the stent (5/63; 8%; p=0.0003). CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study suggest that a two-layered duct-to-mucosa pancreaticojejunostomy with internal transanastomotic stent is a safe anastomosis, associated with a very low risk of pancreatic fistula. The presence of a biliary stent at the time of surgery represents a risk factor for the development of postoperative wound infection.
BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of the study was to analyze in-hospital morbidity and mortality after pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) with a modified duct-to-mucosa pancreaticojejunostomy. METHODOLOGY: We retrospectively analyzed 101 consecutive patients who underwent PD at our center between January 2002 and December 2010. Two-layered duct-to-mucosa pancreaticojejunostomy was performed over an internal transanastomotic stent in all patients. RESULTS: The overall in-hospital morbidity and mortality rate was 48% and 6%, respectively. Three patients died as a consequence of local complications including mesenteric ischemia in two and acute necrotizing pancreatitis in one case. Pancreatic fistula occurred in one (1%) patient and was treated conservatively with good outcome. The wound infection was the most common surgical complication (20/101; 20%) and occurred more often in patients who had a biliary stent inserted endoscopically prior to surgery (15/38; 39%), as compared to those without the stent (5/63; 8%; p=0.0003). CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study suggest that a two-layered duct-to-mucosa pancreaticojejunostomy with internal transanastomotic stent is a safe anastomosis, associated with a very low risk of pancreatic fistula. The presence of a biliary stent at the time of surgery represents a risk factor for the development of postoperative wound infection.